Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M4773

Air Gap

Air Gap
TechnicalHigh supportPhysics
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

An extreme security measure that ensures a computer network is physically completely isolated from the public internet (no cables, no Wi-Fi). Data can only be transferred through physical media (such as USB drives).

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

The absoluteness of physical isolation. When the risk is extremely high (such as core secrets, nuclear button), do not rely on software firewalls (there are always vulnerabilities), rely on physical disconnection. In life, thorough rest requires a "digital air gap" (locking the phone in another room).

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

The air gap cuts off network reachability through physical disconnection: there is no electrical or wireless connection to the public network, and data can only be transferred via controlled physical media (such as isolated USB drives). It replaces "software trust" with "physical unreachability", eliminating remote attack paths, at the cost of losing real-time connectivity.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

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