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SynAc
Term

attack surface

The set of ways in which an adversary can enter a system and potentially cause damage.

Senses

Sense 1

The set of ways in which an adversary can enter a system and potentially cause damage.

An information system's characteristics that permit an adversary to probe, attack, or maintain presence in the information system.

References
  • NICCS (CISA) Cybersecurity VocabularyJan 06, 2026
    NICCS glossary export (CSV)
    https://niccs.cisa.gov/rest/vocab/export-csv
    NICCS is a CISA (DHS) program. Individual glossary entries include a "From" attribution (e.g., CNSSI 4009, NIST SPs, NICE Framework). Treat "From" values as upstream provenance and verify before quoting large portions of text.
    Source: NICCS (CISA) Cybersecurity Vocabulary (niccs.cisa.gov).