DEFCON
Pentagon threat levels
DEFCON is the U.S. military's defense readiness condition system, a five-level scale indicating threat levels.
DEFCON 5 is normal peacetime; DEFCON 1 means nuclear war is imminent.
In casual use, defcon signals escalating severity: This project is at defcon 2—we need everyone on it.
The annual hacker convention DEF CON takes its name from the system.
State of being prepared
- escalationProgressive increase in intensity
- tensionStretched or strained state
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- brinkmanshipPushing conflicts to disaster's threshold
deterrence · standby · vigilance · alertness · precaution · status · elevation · downgrade
Authoritative instruction given
- controlAuthority to direct
- deploymentOrganized distribution of resources
- forcesCauses of motion
- troopsMilitary personnel collectively
maneuvers · exercise · reconnaissance · satellite · surveillance · intelligence · strategic · tactical
Breaking of agreement
- cyberattackMalicious digital intrusion
- firewallNetwork access control system
- encryptionConverting data into code
- infrastructureBasic physical systems
hacking · vulnerability · zero-day · grid · intrusion · cyber-warfare · ransomware · state-sponsored
Of the USSR
- KremlinMoscow's fortified government seat
- WashingtonU.S. seat of government
- hotlineDirect emergency phone connection
- superpowerDominant nation or magical ability
standoff · containment · detente · spy · defection
readiness
State of being prepared
- escalationProgressive increase in intensity
- tensionStretched or strained state
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
brinkmanship · deterrence · standby · vigilance · alertness · precaution · status · elevation · downgrade · posture
command
Authoritative instruction given
- controlAuthority to direct
- deploymentOrganized distribution of resources
- forcesCauses of motion
troops · maneuvers · exercise · reconnaissance · satellite · surveillance · intelligence · strategic · tactical · offensive
breach
Breaking of agreement
- cyberattackMalicious digital intrusion
- firewallNetwork access control system
- encryptionConverting data into code
infrastructure · hacking · vulnerability · zero-day · grid · intrusion · cyber-warfare · ransomware · state-sponsored
Soviet
Of the USSR
- KremlinMoscow's fortified government seat
- WashingtonU.S. seat of government
- hotlineDirect emergency phone connection
superpower · standoff · containment · detente · spy · defection
badge
Worn symbol of membership
presentations · exploits · researchers · infosec · hackers · community · annual · workshops · demos · networking
missiles
Self-propelled guided weapons
- warheadsExplosive missile components
- silosFarm storage towers
- retaliationPunitive response to injury
MAD · fallout · bunker · shelter · ICBMs · bombers · arsenal · stockpile · proliferation · trinity
- Security Statussafe, secure, secured, unsafe, insecure
- Military AcronymsAWOL, MIA, KIA, POW, NCO
- nuclear waratomic bomb, nuclear holocaust, nuclear arsenal, hydrogen bomb, ICBM
- alert levelsred alert, orange alert, yellow alert, elevated, guarded
- defense readinessmobilization, deployment, standby, rapid response, quick reaction
- tech eventstech conferences, tech fair, tech talk, hackathon, hackathons
- defcon 1Peak threat condition
defense, defensive, defend, defender, condition, conditional, conditions, conditioning, conditioned