User Guide

Glossary 615
Nortel WLAN Security Switch 2300 Series Configuration Guide
crypto See cryptography.
cryptography The science of information security. Modern cryptography is typically concerned with the
processes of scrambling ordinary text (known as plain text or clear text) into encrypted text at the sender’s end
of a connection, and decrypting the encrypted text back into clear text at the receiver’s end. Because its
security is independent of the channels through which the text passes, cryptography is the only way of
protecting communications over channels that are not under the user’s control. The goals of cryptography are
confidentiality, integrity, nonrepudiation, and authentication. The encrypted information cannot be
understood by anyone for whom it is not intended, or altered in storage or transmission without the alteration
being detected. The sender cannot later deny the creation or transmission of the information, and the sender
and receiver can confirm each other’s identity and the information’s origin and destination.
CSR Certificate Signing Request. A message sent by an administrator to request a security certificate from a
certificate authority (CA). A CSR is a text string formatted by Privacy-Enhanced Mail (PEM) protocol
according to Public Key Cryptography Standard (PKCS) #10. The CSR contains the information needed by
the certificate authority to generate the certificate.
CSV file Comma-separated values file. A text file that displays tabular data in a comma-delimited format,
as a list of rows in which each column’s value is separated from the next by a comma. A CSV file is useful for
transferring data between database applications.
cyclic redundancy check See CRC.
dBm Decibels referred to 1 milliwatt (mW). A measurement of relative power related to 1 mW. For
example, 20 dBm corresponds to 10
20 dBm/10
= 100 mW.
decibels referred to 1 milliwatt (mW). See dBm.
Data Encryption Standard See DES.
delivery traffic indication map See DTIM.
DES Data Encryption Standard. A federally approved symmetric encryption algorithm in use for many years
and replaced by the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). See also 3DES.
DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. A protocol that dynamically assigns IP addresses to stations,
from a centralized server. DHCP is the successor to the Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP).
dictionary attack An attempt to gain illegal access to a computer or network by logging in repeatedly
with passwords that are based on a list of terms in a dictionary.
Diffie-Hellman A key exchange algorithm that was the first public-key algorithm ever published.
Diffie-Hellman can be used anonymously (without authentication). Anonymous Diffie-Hellman is used to
establish the connection between the Nortel WLAN 2300 System WLAN Management Software tool suite
and a WLAN—Security Switch (WSS) switch.
Diffserv Differentiated services. An architecture for providing different types or levels of service for
network traffic. Diffserv aggregates flows in the network so that routers and switches need to distinguish only
a relatively small number of aggregated flows, even if those flows contain thousands or millions of individual
flows.
digital certificate A document containing the name of a user (client) or server, a digital signature, a
public key, and other elements used in authentication and encryption. See also X.509.