Cyber Security Acronyms (F)

FDE.   Full Disk Encryption.   A cybersecurity method that protects sensitive information by encrypting all the data stored on a hard disk drive or other electro-mechanical storage devices.

FERPA.   Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.   A federal law in the U.S. that regulates access to educational information and records.

FIM.   File Integrity Monitoring.   A process that helps validate the integrity of files (used in application software or operating systems) by verifying the current file state against a known, good baseline. FIM is used in cybersecurity because some types of file changes can indicate a cyberattack.

FIPS.   Federal Information Processing Standards.   A set of standards developed by the U.S. National Insititute ofd Standards and Technology (NIST) that are publicly announced and recommended for general use for computer security as well as the interoperability of IT products, services, and systems.

FISMA.   Federal Information Security Modernization Act.   A U.S. legislation that addresses the rising incidence of cyber attacks by expanding the capabilities of the federal government in responding to such attacks.

FQDN.   Fully Qualified Domain Name.   The complete, absolute, and unique addresses of computers, websites, and other objects that can be accessed on the Internet. An FQDN specifies the host name and domain name, including the top-level domain and the root zone.

FT.  Fast Transition or Fast BSS Transition.   A standard that permits the continuous, secure, and seamless connectivity of wireless devices in motion as they transition from one base station to another. BSS stands for Basic Service Set which is synonymous to base station or access point.

FTP.   File Transfer Protocol.   A method for transmitting files from one location to another over the Internet or between clients and servers in computer systems.

FW.  Firewall.   A network security system that monitors and regulates the traffic coming into and out of a network, based on the security protocols previously established by the network owner. Typically, a firewall serves as a controllable barrier between a trusted private network and the rest of the Internet.

FWaaS.   Firewall as a Service.   A cloud-based and customisable cyber security solution that enables organisations to outsource the implementation, scaling, and maintenance of their network firewall.