IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ijocip/v3y2010i2p55-66.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The SEMA referential framework: Avoiding ambiguities in the terms “security” and “safety”

Author

Listed:
  • Piètre-Cambacédès, Ludovic
  • Chaudet, Claude

Abstract

The meaning of the terms “security” and “safety” varies considerably from one context to another, leading to potential ambiguities. These ambiguities are very problematic in the critical infrastructure protection domain, which involves multiple actors and engineering disciplines. Avoiding misunderstandings caused by the ambiguities during the early stages of system design and risk assessment can save time and resources; it also helps ensure a more consistent and complete risk coverage. Based on a review of the existing definitions of security and safety, this paper identifies the main distinctions between the two notions. It proposes a referential framework called SEMA, which makes the latent differences underlying the use of the terms security and safety explicit. Three sectors are examined as use cases: The power grid, nuclear power generation, and telecommunications and data networks. Mapping the different sector definitions of security and safety in the SEMA framework makes their respective meanings explicit and reveals inconsistencies and overlaps.

Suggested Citation

  • Piètre-Cambacédès, Ludovic & Chaudet, Claude, 2010. "The SEMA referential framework: Avoiding ambiguities in the terms “security” and “safety”," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 55-66.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ijocip:v:3:y:2010:i:2:p:55-66
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcip.2010.06.003
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1874548210000247
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ijcip.2010.06.003?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. V. Madani & R.L. King, 2008. "Strategies to meet grid challenges for safety and reliability," International Journal of Reliability and Safety, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 2(1/2), pages 146-165.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Windelberg, Marjorie, 2016. "Objectives for managing cyber supply chain risk," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 4-11.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ijocip:v:3:y:2010:i:2:p:55-66. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-critical-infrastructure-protection .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.