An Air-Gapped Network is a computer network that is physically or logically isolated from external networks, including the public internet. The separation is designed to prevent unauthorized access and limit the pathways through which malware, stolen credentials, or other threats could reach systems containing sensitive information.
Air-gapped networks are commonly used for critical or highly sensitive environments such as industrial control systems, defense infrastructure, research facilities, and systems handling classified data. Because these networks cannot rely on normal internet connectivity, controlled methods such as removable media, dedicated transfer systems, or tightly managed gateways may be used when data needs to move between isolated and external environments.
