3DES: Triple DES (3DES) is the name for the Triple Data Encryption Algorithm (TDEA) block cipher, which applies the Data Encryption Standard (DES) cipher algorithm three times to each data block. 3DES was designed to provide a method of increasing the key size of DES to protect against such attacks, without designing a completely cipher algorithm.

Access Badge: An access badge is a credential used to gain entry to an area having automated access control entry points. Entry points may be doors, turnstiles, parking barriers or other barriers.

AES: Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a National Institute of Standards and Technology specification for the encryption of electronic data. AES is an iterative, symmetric-key block cipher that can use keys of 128, 192, and 256 bits, and encrypts and decrypts data in blocks of 128 bits (16 bytes). Unlike public-key ciphers, which use a pair of keys, symmetric-key ciphers use the same key to encrypt and decrypt data.

ANPR: Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) is a surveillance method that uses character recognition on images to read the licence plates on road vehicles.

Authentication Factors: Existing authentication methodologies involve three basic factors: Something the user knows (e.g. password, PIN); Something the user has (e.g. ATM card, smart card); and Something the user is (e.g. biometric characteristic, such as a fingerprint).

Biometrics: Biometrics is the science and technology of measuring and analyzing biological data. Biometrics refers to technologies that measure and analyze human body characteristics, such as fingerprints, eye retinas and irises, voice patterns, facial and hand measurements, for authentication purposes.

Biometric Template: A biometric template is a digital reference of distinct characteristics that have been extracted from a biometric sample. Templates are used during the biometric authentication process.

Barcode: A machine-readable representation of information (usually dark ink on a light background to create high and low reflectance which is converted to 1s and 0s).

Block Cipher: A symmetric key cipher operating on fixed-length groups of bits, called blocks, with an unvarying transformation. A block cipher encryption algorithm might take e.g. a 128-bit block of plaintext as input and output a corresponding 128-bit block of ciphertext. The exact transformation is controlled using a second input - the secret key.

Bridge: A device used to enable the transfer data across two different networks, Ethernet and Controller Area Network.

CAN: Controller Area Network complying with ISO11898-2.

CAT5: An Ethernet cable standard defined by the Electronic Industries Association and Telecommunications Industry Association. CAT5 is the 5th generation of twisted pair Ethernet cabling and the most popular of all twisted pair cables in use today.

CAT5e: CAT5e cable is an enhanced version of Cat 5 that adds specifications for far end crosstalk.

CAT6: Commonly referred to as CAT6, is a cable standard for Gigabit Ethernet and other network protocols that is backward compatible with the Category 5/5e and Category 3 cable standards.

CCTV: Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a set of monitors. Surveillance of the public using CCTV is particularly common in the UK, where there are reportedly more cameras per person than in any other country in the world.

CHUID: Card Holder Unique Identifier - The data structure for card holder identification defined by the FIPS-201 standard.

Contact Smart Card: Contact smart cards have a contact area, comprising several gold-plated contact pads, that is about 1 cm square in size. When inserted into a card reader, the chip makes contact with electrical connectors that can read information from the chip and write information back

Contactless Smart Card: Cards embedded with a chip that communicates with the card reader through RFID induction technology. These cards require only close proximity to an antenna to complete transaction. They are often used when transactions must be processed quickly or hands-free, such as on mass transport systems, where smart cards can be used without even removing them from a wallet.

Cryptographic Smart Card: Often used for single sign-on. Most advanced smart cards are equipped with specialized cryptographic hardware that let you use algorithms such as RSA and DSA on board.

Device: See field device.

Database: A set of tables held in a Relational Database on a PC or File Server, which contain cardholder details with associated building/site descriptions and details of access authorization for groups of cardholders.

DES: A block cipher encryption based on a symmetric-key algorithm that uses a 56-bit key. Now considered too insecure for many applications due to the 56-bit key size being too small.

DESFire: Data Encryption Standard Fast, Innovative, Reliable and Secure - Contactless Smartcard. It is using a standards compliant (ISO/IEC 14443-4) protocol, based on a 8051 processor with Triple DES and AES crypto accelerator, making really fast transactions possible.

Digital Image: A digital image is a representation of a two-dimensional image using ones and zeros (binary).

Digital Input: A two (open or closed circuit) or four state (open and short circuit as well as monitored open and monitored closed) sensing state.

Electric Strike: An electrical device that replaces a regular lock strike to enable a door to be released by remote control.

Ethernet: Ethernet is a physical and data link layer technology for local area networks (LANs).

EUP: The EuP Directive 2005/32/EC is a framework directive with the intention of setting out the minimum requirements for eco-design for energy using products.

Fail Safe : Door unlocked in event of power off.

Fail Secure : Door locked in event of power off.

Fast Ethernet: Fast Ethernet supports a maximum data rate of 100 Mbps. It is so named because original Ethernet technology supported only 10 Mbps. Fast Ethernet began to be widely deployed in the mid-1990s as the need for greater LAN performance became critical to universities and businesses.

Field Device: Any piece of equipment connected to and communicating across the Controller Area Network (CAN) including door access control reader, attendance terminal, CAN Hub, CAN Bridge, CAN SLIO, etc.

Fingerprint: Normally refers to impressions transferred from the pad on the last joint of fingers and thumbs, though fingerprint cards also typically record portions of lower joint areas of the fingers which are also used to make identifications.

Flexitime: An arrangement that allows employees to set their own working hours within agreed limits; normally must include certain periods (core time) when they must be at work.

Hitag: Operating at the frequency of 100 to 150kHz, HITAG was the first tag IC family on the market to support a highly sophisticated anti-collision feature, allowing several tags to be read simultaneously.

Hub: An network hub or concentrator is a device for connecting multiple twisted pair or fiber optic Ethernet devices together, making them act as a single segment.

Ibutton: The iButton is a computer chip enclosed in a 16mm thick stainless steel can. An iButton uses its stainless steel 'can' as an electronic communications interface. Each can has a data contact, called the 'lid', and a ground contact, called the 'base'. Each of these contacts is connected to the silicon chip inside.

ID: A piece of identification (ID) is a document designed to verify aspects of a person's identity. It is also called an identity document or, if in the form of a small standard-sized card, an identity card.

IP: The IP (Internet Protocol) is a protocol that uses datagrams to communicate over a packet-switched network.

IP Address: An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique address that certain electronic devices currently use in order to identify and communicate with each other on a computer network utilizing the Internet Protocol standard (IP)—in simpler terms, a computer address.

Jumper: A short length of conductor used to close a break in or bypass part of an electrical circuit.

LAN: A local area network (LAN) supplies networking capability to a group of computers in close proximity to each other such as in an office building, a school, or a home. A LAN is useful for sharing resources like files, printers, games or other applications.

Legic: 13.56 MHz contactless smart card technology.

LIM: Legacy reader head Interface Module, a control panel onto which legacy style card reader heads are connected.

Lock Solenoid : A solenoid bolt is a type of electronic-mechanical locking mechanism. This type of lock is characterized by the use of a solenoid to throw a bolt. Advanced solenoid bolt locks may use microprocessors to perform voltage regulation, reduce power consumption, and/or provide access control.

Logical Security: Consists of PC protection safeguards for an organization’s systems, including user ID and password access, authentication, access rights and authority levels. These measures are to ensure that only authorized users are able to perform actions or access information in a network or a workstation.

MAC Address: Unique identification assigned to every device at manufacture.

Magnetic Lock: A magnetic lock is a simple locking device that consists of an electromagnet and armature plate. By attaching the electromagnet to the door frame and the armature plate to the door, a current passing through the electromagnet attracts/releases the armature plate holding the door shut.

Magnetic Stripe Card: A magnetic stripe card is a type of card capable of storing data by modifying the magnetism of tiny iron-based magnetic particles on a band of magnetic material on the card. The magnetic stripe, sometimes called a magstripe, is read by physical contact and swiping past a reading head.

Mifare: A contactless smartcard, or proximity card, technology based on ISO 14443A operating at a frequency of 13.56 MHz. With more than 500 million smart card chips and 5 million reader modules sold.

Muster: The roundup of livestock, and is a term primarily used in Australia and New Zealand. Musters usually involve cattle, sheep or horses, but may also include goats, camels, buffalo or other animals.

Network: In general, the term network can refer to any interconnected group or system. More specifically, a network is any method of sharing information between two systems (human or mechanical)

NIM: Network Interface Module, an Industrial grade rack mounted PC used as a site controller to service all field devices connected to it.

Oyster Card: The Oyster card is a form of electronic ticketing used on public transport services within the Greater London area.

Physical Security: Describes both measures that prevent or deter attackers from accessing a facility, resource, or information stored on physical media and guidance on how to design structures to resist various hostile acts. It can be as simple as a locked door, access control system or as elaborate as multiple layers of security guards and guardhouse placement.

PIN: Personal Identification Number - Numeric password shared between a user and a system to authenticate the user to the system.

PoE: Power over Ethernet or PoE technology describes a system to transmit electrical power, along with data, to remote devices over standard twisted-pair cable in an Ethernet network.

Proximity Card: A contactless integrated circuit devices used for security access or payment systems. It can refer to the older 125 kHz devices or the newer 13.56 MHz contactless RFID cards, most commonly known as contactless smartcards.

RFID: Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders.

RJ45: A registered jack (RJ) is a standardized physical interface for connecting telecommunications equipment (commonly, a telephone jack) or computer networking equipment. The standard designs for these connectors and their wiring are named RJ11, RJ14, RJ45, etc.)

RoHs: Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment 2002/95/EC; commonly referred to as the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive or RoHS.

Roll Call: The calling of the names of people from a list to determine the presence or absence of the listed people (also known as a register in countries).

RS485: Allows multiple devices (up to 32) to communicate at half-duplex on a single pair of wires, plus a ground wire (more on that later), at distances up to 1200 meters (4000 feet). Both the length of the network and the number of nodes can easily be extended using a variety of repeater products on the market.

SLIO: Serially Linked Input Output device, a designed to monitor digital inputs and set digital outputs (door/window sensors, intruder movement sensors, etc).

Smart Card: A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card (ICC), is defined as any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits which can process information.

Strike: A device fixed in or on a door jamb into which the lock or latchbolt engages when the door is closed.

System: An integrated set of hardware and/or software designed to meet a specific need.

TCP/IP: Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, a set of communication protocols used for the internet and other similar networks.

Turnstile: A form of gate which allows one person to pass at a time. It can also be made so as to enforce one-way traffic of people, and in addition, it can restrict passage to people who insert a coin, a ticket, a pass, swipe a card or similar.

Voice Recognition: Voice/Speech recognition is the ability of a machine or program to recognize and carry out voice commands or take dictation. In general, this involves the ability to match a voice pattern against a provided or acquired vocabulary.

WAN: A WAN spans a large geographic area, such as a state, province or country. WANs often connect multiple smaller networks, such as local area networks (LANs) or metro area networks (MANs).

WEEE Directive : Electronic waste, e-waste, e-scrap, or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) describes loosely discarded, surplus, obsolete, or broken electrical or electronic devices.

Wiegand: A wiring technology which uses short lengths of special alloy wire on a unique strip which is embedded in the card's core. It is commonly used to connect a card swipe mechanism to the rest of an electronic entry system.