ickecryptografiska

Ickecryptografiska is a Swedish term used in information security and related disciplines to describe methods, processes, or controls that do not rely on cryptographic algorithms or primitives. The word is formed from the prefix icke meaning not and kryptografiska, the adjectival form of kryptografi, the science of encryption, decryption and related operations. In practice, ickecryptografiska measures aim to reduce risk through non‑cryptographic means such as physical security, organizational controls, and procedural safeguards rather than by applying encryption or cryptographic checksums.

The term appears in academic discussions, risk assessments, and product design notes where it is useful to distinguish non‑cryptographic controls from cryptographic ones. It is not a formal standard, but a descriptive label that helps describe the scope and limitations of a given security strategy.

Typical ickecryptografiska measures include physical access controls (locks, badges, surveillance), organizational policies (least privilege, separation of duties, incident response planning), process controls (change management, data handling procedures), and redundancy or backup strategies. By contrast, cryptographic controls would involve encryption, hashing, digital signatures, or key management. In many systems the two approaches are used together, with ickecryptografiska controls reducing risk in areas where cryptographic protection is impractical or unnecessary, while cryptographic mechanisms protect data in transit and at rest.

Criticism of the term focuses on its vagueness and the potential for overlap with security practices that indirectly rely on cryptography. Nevertheless, ickecryptografiska remains a convenient shorthand in Swedish-language discussions to denote non‑cryptographic aspects of security architecture.