The IT Law Wiki

Definitions[]

An air gap is

the lack of an electronic connection between the system and the rest of the world. A true air gap also requires that the system not have RF links (or at least not ones powerful enough to be picked up beyond the protected perimeter), and that no media (say, thumb drives) cross the perimeter (such as by being removed from a computer).[1]
[a]n interface between two systems at which (a) they are not connected physically and (b) any logical connection is not automated (i.e., data is transferred through the interface only manually, under human control).[2]
a security measure that isolates a secure network from unsecure networks physically, electrically, and electromagnetically.[3]

Overview[]

An air-gap system is a system that is offline.

References[]

  1. Cyberdeterrence and Cyberwar, at 19 n.24.
  2. RFC 4949 Ver 2.
  3. Cybersecurity Assessment Tool, App. C: Glossary, at 2 n.3 (full-text).

See also[]