(ICE) A contrived acronym for security software, coined by USenetter Tom Maddox and popularised by William Gibson' s cyberpunk SF novels. In Gibson' s novels ICE software responds to intrUSion by attempting to literally kill the intruder. The term is not in serioUSUSe as of 2000 apart from the commercial software product, BlackICE and a growing number of others. See also: icebreaker. [Jargon File] (2000-03-18)