Protection Profile

Primary definition

A minimal, baseline set of requirements targeted at mitigating well defined and described threats. The term Protection Profile refers to NSA/NIAP requirements for a technology and does not imply or require the use of Common Criteria as the process for evaluating a product. Protection Profiles may be created by Technical Communities and will include: - a set of technology-specific threats derived from operational knowledge and technical expertise; - a set of core functional requirements necessary to mitigate those threats and establish a basic level of security for a particular technology; and, - a collection of assurance activities tailored to the technology and functional requirements that are transparent, and produce achievable, repeatable, and testable results scoped such that they can be completed within a reasonable timeframe. Source: CNSSP No. 11

Also known asPP · NSA/NIAP Protection Profile · Security Protection Profile · Technology Protection Profile
2 sources cited4 related termsReviewed Aug 10, 2026
Committee on National Security Systems Glossary CNSSI 4009-2015View source

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CNSSGC

A minimal, baseline set of requirements targeted at mitigating well defined and described threats. The term Protection Profile refers to NSA/NIAP requirements for a technology and does not imply or require the use of Common Criteria as the process for evaluating a product. Protection Profiles may be created by Technical Communities and will include: - a set of technology-specific threats derived from operational knowledge and technical expertise; - a set of core functional requirements necessary to mitigate those threats and establish a basic level of security for a particular technology; and, - a collection of assurance activities tailored to the technology and functional requirements that are transparent, and produce achievable, repeatable, and testable results scoped such that they can be completed within a reasonable timeframe. Source: CNSSP No. 11

Committee on National Security Systems Glossary CNSSI 4009-2015 · 2024

Cite this term

Permanent URL · stable across revisions
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Protection Profile. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 20, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/protection-profile

Sources

2 cited · last checked Aug 10, 2026

01

Committee on National Security Systems Glossary CNSSI 4009-2015
Committee on National Security Systems Glossary CNSSI 4009-2015

High consensus

View source

02

The Cyber Glossary
The Cyber Glossary

Disputed

View source

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