[clug] [OT] What *is* Security?

[Tomasz Ciolek]

Hi all

So far this is developing into a very interesting discussion.

On Sat, Sep 13, 2008 at 02:41:42AM +1000, Steve McInerney wrote:
> On Thu, September 11, 2008 08:37, steve jenkin wrote:
> > Recently I've been looking for a *formal* definition of 'security'
> > and that has led to puzzling over an informal definition.
> 
> 
> I've always been fond of:
> Can you sleep at night?
> 
> ie. Having made "this" decision to do "these" things to secure whatever,
> you can sleep happy with the **full** range of consequences of "this"
> decision.
> 

For me security means two things: it is a set of mechanisms and actions and a state.

In current usgae we equate security with safey. That a state where a
state of safey from a whole gamut of threats has been achieved. 

I current usage we also equate security with a set of actions, processes
and mechanisms designed to achivee and maintain the sate satate.

Risk Assessments, Threat assessments, risk management  and other mechanisms 
that people mention are tools we use to decide how to best deplpy security
mewsaures to achieve an acceptable level ofsafety, given we have limited
resources.

Have a good day... 

Tomasz

-- 
Tomasz M. Ciolek	
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 tmc at vandradlabs dot com dot au 
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