Site Glossary

A base blockchain network (e.g., Bitcoin mainnet, Ethereum mainnet).

A system built on top of a base chain to improve scalability or features (e.g., Lightning Network, rollups).

The statutory, constitutional, and policy basis that governs SIGINT collection and use. Legal authority determines permissible targets, minimization rules, oversight requirements, handling of incidentally collected data, and dissemination restrictions.

Reusable code distributed for others to install and use. Libraries add functionality (cryptography, HTTP clients, parsing, forensic tooling) and are commonly managed with package managers such as pip, npm, or PowerShell Gallery.

Bitcoin Layer 2 payment network using payment channels; can change evidentiary collection needs because many events occur off-chain.

A service that distributes incoming network traffic across multiple servers to ensure availability and reliability.

A record of events generated by systems, applications, or network devices. Logs are central to digital investigations because they can show authentication events, access patterns, errors, and actions over time—if retention and integrity are maintained.

Recording events, errors, and status messages during execution. Logs help debugging, auditing, and incident response by showing what the script did and when.

Collection of data through the operating system or application interfaces (files, app data, user-visible content). Logical acquisitions may be faster and less intrusive but can miss deleted data, unallocated space, and certain system artifacts.

LonWorks is a networking platform and protocol used for building automation, smart grid, and industrial control systems. It supports communication between devices such as sensors, controllers, and actuators, facilitating control and monitoring in ICS and IIoT environments.