Dependability-a unifying concept

Abstract

This paper discusses the need for a clear set of system dependability concepts and terminology, adequate for situations in which there are uncertainties about system boundaries, the very complexity of systems (and their specifications, if they have any) is a major problem, judgements as to possible causes or consequences of failure may need be very subtle, and there are only fallible provisions for preventing faults causing failures. It then relates this terminology to that in use in the survivability, critical infrastructures, information warfare, and intrusion detection research communities, before describing the European Dependability initiative a contribution to the planning of the European Unions Information Society Technologies (IST) Programme.