SITC - Security Innovation & Technology Consortium

Venue:  BCS Offices, First Floor, The Davidson Building, 5 Southampton Street, London, WC2E 7HA

Background: 

There has been a blurring of the difference between safety and security critical systems as both have become increasingly software intensive.  The fault on an aircraft's flight control function could lead to a catastrophic failure, resulting in the loss of human life; hence a safety-critical system is required.  A fault with a cryptographic function could lead to a breach of security or financial loss and hence a security-critical system is required.  However in these times, such a breach in security can result in a successful terrorist attack, which can also lead to loss of human life.  This security-critical system would also need to be a safety-critical system.

These two systems require strong partitioning to prevent unintended interactions.  Software functions of varying levels of criticality are often hosted together (e.g. on the same module) and interference, interdependencies and compound effects must be considered and prevented. 

• Does partitioning using formal methods require enforcing and proving? 
• Is it necessary or indeed possible to interchange these types of systems. Sometimes, never, partially?
• Are the technical differences between the systems too great to support this?

Clarity and new understanding is required in this area particularly in the light of the reasons for the Nimrod disaster recently released.

Booking:

The BCS Security Strategic Panel, invites SITC Members with interests in these areas to attend the above discussion forum.

The closing date for replies is Monday 26 April 2010

To secure your place, please send the attached RSVP to: bee.clayton@hq.bcs.org.uk