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Glossary
This page provides a glossary of terms that are basic to Context By Signal℠. To look up terms that are not included here, try well-known and maintained online dictionaries of computing and networking.
For detailed technical information, read the specification for standards that have them. Context By Signal℠ names and links the common standards that we reference. You can find many of these on the website of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) at https://www.ietf.org.
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a
access point (AP)
TBD
Airtool
TBD
ambient RF
TBD
ambient RF level
TBD
b
base station
TBD
beacon
TBD
BSSID
TBD
c
capture
TBD
capture record
TBD
communication protocol
A set of interrelated rules that define the process of communication, messaging, and data exchange between computer or network entities. Network protocols are commonly written into standards and specifications--for example, HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), the application layer protocol that is the foundation of the World Wide Web (WWW).
context
TBD
continuity anchor
TBD
control frame
See also, frame.
corraboration, confidence
Concepts.
cyclic redundancy check (CRC)
TBD
d
data frame
See also, frame.
dimension
TBD
e
entity
A network entity.
entity history
TBD
entity observation record
The observation record for a network entity. Entity observation records provide a five-point MAC view that includes what was observed, the evidence for that observation, inference based on the observation, the entity context and related uncertainty.
Ethernet
TBD
evidence
TBD
f
fingerprint
What characterizes the environment.
fingerprint contributions
The impact of an entity on site fingerprint.
frame
A MAC protocol data unit.
i
incidence
TBD
infrastructure
TBD. Wireless infrastructure.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
IEEE is a global organization for engineering standards.
IEEE 802
A family of standards for computer networks that include local area networks (LANs), personal area networks (PANs), and metropolitan area networks (MANs). The IEEE 802 standards manage networking on the data link and physical layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) network reference model. The IEEE divides the data link layer into logical link control (LLC) and medium access control (MAC) layers.
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
The leading standards development organization (SDO) of the Internet. The IETF was established in 1986 and creates voluntary standards that have become the guide rails of the Internet. These include a body of documentation—specifications called Requests for Comments (RFCs) that are the technical documentation of the Internet.
m
management frames
See also, frame.
mobility
What changed location.
mobility patterns
TBD. Conceptual.
monitor mode
TBD.
multi-channel capture
TBD. See also, single-channel capture.
n
network adapter
TBD
network interface controller (NIC)
TBD
o
observation
A concept. Observing what has been made visible. Visibility allows and must precede measurement.
observation
What was measured. A measurement based on a wireless capture.
observation constraints
The limits 0f the observation space.
observation point
The location of the sensor.
observation record
TBD
observation space
The observations under consideration.
observation surface
What the sensor observed.
p
packet
See also, frame.
PCAP
TBD
PCAPNG
TBD
persistence
What remained. See also, frame.
persistence analysis
TBD
r
radio
TBD
randomization indicators
Numeric or behavioral patterns that indicate that a MAC address could be randomized. See also, randomize.
record set
TBD
repeater
TBD
RF density
TBD
s
server
TBD. See also, client.
Service Set Identifier (SSID)
TBD
signal
TBD
single-channel capture
TBD. See also, multi-channel capture.
site fingerprint
TBD
site history
TBD
site persistence
TBD
spectrum
TBD
subtype
The type of a field in a frame, for example, a subtype field that contains 0000 is an association request and a subfield containing 1000 is identified as a beacon subtype.
t
transmitter
TBD
travel mode
TBD
travel record
TBD
type (frame type)
The type of an 802.11 frame. The frame types include management (00), control (01), and data (10). Context By Signal is primarily concerned with management frames.
w
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is the trademarked term of the Wi-Fi Alliance and refers to a family of wireless network protocols that are based on the IEEE 802.11 standard. The trademark is applied to brand products that offer Wi-Fi interoperability. Context By Signal is concerned with the IEEE 802.11 family of network protocols.
wireless access point (WAP)
TBD
wireless context
TBD
wireless ecology
TBD
Wireshark
TBD