fail-safe - A functionality that ensures that when software or a system fails for any reason, it does not compromise anyone\'s safety. After a failure, a fail-safe electronic lock might default to an unlocked state, which would prevent it from interfering with anyone trying to escape in an emergency.
fail-secure - A functionality that ensures that when software or a system fails for any reason, it does not end up in a vulnerable state. After a failure, a fail-secure lock might default to a locked state, which would ensure the security of whatever it is protecting.
failover - A backup operation that automatically switches to a standby system if the primary system fails or is taken offline. It is an important fault-tolerant function that provides system availability.
false acceptance rate - The measure of the likelihood that the biometric security system will incorrectly accept an access attempt by an unauthorized user. Known as a Type II error. A system\'s FAR typically is stated as the ratio of the number of false acceptances divided by the number of identification attempts.
false rejection rate - The measure of the likelihood that the biometric security system will incorrectly reject an access attempt by an authorized user. Known as a Type I error. A system\'s FRR typically is stated as the ratio of the number of false rejections divided by the number of identification attempts.
FAR - (False Acceptance Rate) - The measure of the likelihood that the biometric security system will incorrectly accept an access attempt by an unauthorized user. Known as a Type II error. A system\'s FAR typically is stated as the ratio of the number of false acceptances divided by the number of identification attempts.
FCoE - (Fibre Channel over Ethernet) - A converged protocol that allows Fibre Channel frames to ride over Ethernet networks.
Fibre Channel over Ethernet - A converged protocol that allows Fibre Channel frames to ride over Ethernet networks.
firewall - A device that enforces administrative security policies by filtering incoming traffic based on a set of rules.
firmware - Software instructions that have been written into read-only memory (ROM) or a programmable ROM (PROM) chip.
formal security policy model - A mathematical statement of a security policy. When an operating system is created, it can be built upon a predeveloped model that lays out how all activities will take place in each and every situation. This model can be expressed mathematically, which is then translated into a programming language.
formal verification - Validating and testing of highly trusted systems. The tests are designed to show design verification, consistency between the formal specifications and the formal security policy model, implementation verification, consistency between the formal specifications, and the actual implementation of the product.
frame - Data represented at Layer 2 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model.
FRR - (False Rejection Rate) - The measure of the likelihood that the biometric security system will incorrectly reject an access attempt by an authorized user. Known as a Type I error. A system\'s FRR typically is stated as the ratio of the number of false rejections divided by the number of identification attempts.