Category Overview

Network Security — Election Security Glossary

37 election security terms in the Network Security category, with definitions sourced from NIST, CISA, EAC, and 30+ authoritative documents.

Browse all 37 terms in Network Security

Wireless Access Point (wap)

A device that allows wireless devices to connect to a wired network using wi-fi, or related standards.

Low consensus2 sources

By ESG Editorial Team · Drawing on NIST, CISA, and 25+ sources on network security

Election network security covers the protection of data in transit: results flowing from precincts to central tabulation, registration records syncing between local and state databases, and election officials accessing back-office systems from county networks. Most modern election administration has a network component, even when the voting equipment itself is not networked.

Why this category matters for election security is that networks are an obvious place to attack. A well-placed network intrusion can intercept, alter, or disrupt the flow of data. Defending against such intrusions requires a layered approach: encrypted channels, authenticated endpoints, segmented networks, and continuous monitoring. None of these are election-specific. All of them have to be applied in the specific context of election operations, with their own constraints and rhythms.

Federal guidance from CISA and NIST provides the technical baseline. State and local implementations vary widely. Some jurisdictions have invested in modern segmented networks with strong encryption. Others depend on legacy systems that are harder to defend. The work of closing the gap is ongoing.

The terminology in this category covers both the technical mechanisms (encryption, segmentation, firewalls) and the specific contexts in which they are applied. The concepts here are not new. They have been the focus of network security practice for decades. What is specific is the way they are applied in election administration.

Key Concepts

Encryption

A mathematical process that renders data unreadable without the corresponding key, protecting data in transit and at rest.

Virtual Private Network

An encrypted network connection that allows remote users to securely access an internal network as if they were on-site.

Firewall

A network device or software that controls traffic between networks based on a defined set of security rules.

How These Terms Relate

These concepts together describe the protection of data as it moves through election networks. Network security is a mature field, and the terminology here draws on that maturity. The unifying theme is that networks are a pathway. Defending that pathway requires layered controls: encryption to protect confidentiality, authentication to verify identity, segmentation to limit the impact of any single breach, and monitoring to detect anomalies. The election-specific challenge is applying these controls under the operational constraints of election day.