Lexicon

What is EBU R143?

An EBU recommendation defining best practices for cybersecurity across broadcast and media systems, covering governance, risk management, and incident response. A practical framework for broadcasters building secure, resilient IP-based and software-defined production infrastructures.

What is Penetration Testing (Pentesting)?

A controlled security assessment in which specialists simulate real-world cyberattacks to uncover vulnerabilities in systems, applications, and networks. A proactive approach to validating defenses and understanding the true security posture of IP-based broadcast infrastructures before threats materialize.

What is TLS (Transport Layer Security)?

A cryptographic protocol that encrypts data in transit to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and authentication across IP networks. Essential for securing APIs, management interfaces, and system-to-system communication in software-defined and cloud-connected broadcast environments.

What is TACACS+?

A network authentication protocol that centralizes authentication, authorization, and accounting for users accessing network devices and systems. A robust solution for enforcing role-based access control and maintaining detailed audit trails across IP-based and mission-critical broadcast infrastructures.

What is Zero Trust Architecture?

A cybersecurity model built on the principle "never trust, always verify," requiring continuous authentication and authorization for every access request regardless of location. Particularly relevant for IP-based, cloud-enabled, and distributed broadcast environments where traditional perimeter-based security is no longer sufficient.

What is Secure Media Transport?

The set of methods and technologies used to protect audio, video, and data streams transmitted over IP networks, ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity while meeting broadcast requirements for low latency and high reliability. A critical component of modern distributed and cloud-connected production workflows.

What is Authentication and Authorization?

Two foundational cybersecurity processes that together control access to systems and data: authentication verifies identity, authorization defines permitted actions. Combined with accounting under the AAA framework, they provide a complete model for securing access to IP-based and software-defined broadcast infrastructures.

What is Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)?

A security model that assigns permissions to predefined roles rather than individuals, ensuring users access only what their responsibilities require. A structured and scalable approach to managing secure access across complex, IP-based, and software-defined broadcast environments.

What is Security Hardening for Broadcast Networks?

The process of strengthening broadcast and media infrastructure by reducing vulnerabilities, limiting unnecessary services, and enforcing secure configurations across devices, servers, and network components. A continuous and proactive practice to protect mission-critical IP-based systems against cyberattacks, misconfigurations, and unauthorized access.

What is the Media eXchange Layer (MXL)?

An open-source protocol developed under the Linux Foundation and EBU, enabling real-time, in-memory exchange of uncompressed media and metadata between software applications in broadcast environments. A vendor-neutral interoperability layer designed to reduce latency, simplify integration, and accelerate the transition to fully software-defined media facilities.

What is SMPTE RP 2129?

A SMPTE Recommended Practice providing cybersecurity guidance for ST 2110 IP media systems, covering segmentation, access control, and risk assessment to help broadcasters build secure, resilient live production infrastructures.

What is a Trust Boundary?

A conceptual security perimeter where the level of trust changes, requiring controls such as authentication, authorization, and encryption. Essential in IP-based, software-defined broadcast networks to protect critical media workflows across distributed production environments.