Security

/ˌɑːr-ɛs-ˈeɪ/

n. “Keys, math, and a little bit of trust.”

RSA is one of the most well-known public-key cryptosystems, named after its inventors Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman. Introduced in 1977, it allows secure communication over insecure channels without requiring the sender and receiver to share a secret key in advance. Instead, RSA uses a pair of mathematically linked keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption.

/ˌsiː-tiː-ˈɑːr/

n. “Turning blocks into streams, one counter at a time.”

/ˌsiː-biː-ˈsiː/

n. “Chaining blocks like a linked chain of trust.”

CBC, or Cipher Block Chaining, is a mode of operation for block ciphers used in cryptography. It was designed to improve the security of block cipher encryption by ensuring that each block of plaintext is combined with the previous ciphertext block before being encrypted. This creates a “chain” effect where the encryption of each block depends on all previous blocks, making patterns in the plaintext less discernible in the ciphertext.

/ˌɛs-ɛs-ˈɛl/

n. “The grandparent of TLS, keeping secrets before it got serious.”

SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, is the predecessor to TLS and was the original cryptographic protocol designed to secure communications over the internet. Developed by Netscape in the mid-1990s, SSL enabled encrypted connections between clients and servers, protecting sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, and private messages from eavesdropping or tampering.

/ˌtiː-ɛl-ˈɛs/

n. “Encrypts it so nobody can peek while it travels.”

TLS, or Transport Layer Security, is the cryptographic protocol that ensures data transmitted over networks remains private, authentic, and tamper-proof. It evolved from the older SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protocols and has become the foundation of secure communication on the internet. Websites, email servers, VPNs, and numerous other networked services rely on TLS to protect sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, and personal communications.

/ˈsɪɡ-ɪnt/

n. “When eavesdropping becomes an art form.”

SIGINT, short for Signals Intelligence, is the practice of intercepting, analyzing, and exploiting electronic signals for intelligence purposes. These signals can be anything from radio communications, radar emissions, and satellite transmissions to digital data traveling over networks. The goal of SIGINT is to gather actionable information without direct contact with the source.

/ˌdiː-diː-ˈoʊ-ɛs/

n. “When too many people knock at once and the door falls off.”

DDoS, short for Distributed Denial of Service, is a type of cyber attack where multiple systems—often compromised computers, IoT devices, or botnets—flood a target server, network, or service with massive amounts of traffic. The goal isn’t necessarily to steal data or break encryption; it’s to overwhelm resources, disrupt normal operation, and make services unavailable to legitimate users.

/ˈfɪps/

n. “Standards that make cryptography a bit less mysterious.”

FIPS, or Federal Information Processing Standards, are publicly announced standards developed by the United States federal government to ensure that computer systems, networks, and cryptographic modules operate securely and consistently. Managed primarily by NIST, these standards define the technical specifications for data security, encryption, hashing, and other critical processes that safeguard sensitive information.

/ˌɛn-ɛs-ˈeɪ/

n. “The United States’ quiet architect of cryptography.”

NSA, the National Security Agency, is the United States government’s premier organization for signals intelligence (SIGINT), information assurance, and cryptographic research. Established in 1952, the agency’s primary mission is to collect, analyze, and protect information critical to national security, often operating behind the scenes and away from public scrutiny.