Perceptions of Security

Perceptions of security can vary greatly and be inaccurate. For example, people in the US fear earthquakes more than slipping in bathrooms, though the latter kills more people. Similarly, terrorism kills fewer people than domestic violence in some countries. Security systems may provide a false sense of protection if they are ineffective or prevent each other from working properly. Security theater describes measures meant to influence perceptions without improving actual security, like home alarm signs or increased police presence after attacks.

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Perceptions of Security

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Loraine Kytes Baliquia

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Perceptions of security[edit]

Since it is not possible to know with precision the extent to which something is 'secure' (and a
measure of vulnerability is unavoidable), perceptions of security vary, often greatly. [3][17] For example,
a fear of death by earthquake is common in the United States (US), but slipping on the bathroom
floor kills more people;[17] and in France, the United Kingdom and the US there are far fewer deaths
caused by terrorism than there are women killed by their partners in the home. [18][19][20][21]
Another problem of perception is the common assumption that the mere presence of a security
system (such as armed forces, or antivirus software) implies security. For example, two computer
security programs installed on the same device can prevent each other from working properly, while
the user assumes that he or she benefits from twice the protection that only one program would
afford.
Security theater is a critical term for measures that change perceptions of security without
necessarily affecting security itself. For example, visual signs of security protections, such as a
home that advertises its alarm system, may deter an intruder, whether or not the system functions
properly. Similarly, the increased presence of military personnel on the streets of a city after
a terrorist attack may help to reassure the public, whether or not it diminishes the risk of further
attacks.

Certain concepts recur throughout different fields of security:

 Access control - the selective restriction of access to a place or other resource.

 Assurance - an expression of confidence that a security measure will perform as expected.
 Authorization - the function of specifying access rights/privileges to resources related to
information security and computer security in general and to access control in particular.
 Countermeasure - a means of preventing an act or system from having its intended effect.
 Defense in depth - a school of thought holding that a wider range of security measures will
enhance security.
 Exploit (noun) - a means of capitalizing on a vulnerability in a security system (usually a
cyber-security system).
 Identity management - enables the right individuals to access the right resources at the right
times and for the right reasons.
 Resilience - the degree to which a person, community, nation or system is able to resist
adverse external forces.
 Risk - a possible event which could lead to damage, harm, or loss.
 Security management - identification of an organization's assets (including people, buildings,
machines, systems and information assets), followed by the development, documentation, and
implementation of policies and procedures for protecting these assets.
 Threat - a potential source of harm.
 Vulnerability - the degree to which something may be changed (usually in an unwanted
manner) by external forces.