System for identifying the type and purpose of certain items of COMSEC material. (CNSSI-4009) (NISTIR)
What is TSEC nomenclature?
The term TSEC Nomenclature refers to the NSA identification system used to indicate the type and purpose of certain communications-security equipment or COMSEC material. It gives election, security, legal, or technical readers a specific label for the concept rather than a broader everyday meaning.
What does TSEC nomenclature identify?
In practice, TSEC Nomenclature is applied to the technical or security purpose captured by its definition: the NSA identification system used to indicate the type and purpose of certain communications-security equipment or COMSEC material. Organizations combine that function with documented procedures, authorized access, testing, monitoring, and controls appropriate to the system.
Is TSEC nomenclature still a general cybersecurity term?
No. TSEC nomenclature is a specialized, historically rooted U.S. communications-security naming system for identifying types and purposes of certain COMSEC equipment or material. It is not a general label used across modern cybersecurity products. When the term appears, it should be interpreted in its NSA, COMSEC, or legacy security-equipment context.
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System for identifying the type and purpose of certain items of COMSEC material. (CNSSI-4009) (NISTIR)
Cite this term
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Tsec Nomenclature. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 22, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/tsec-nomenclature
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