The 1998 York and Williamsburg workshops on dependability: the proposed research agenda

We first provide a set of statements that explain the intent and discussion areas of the workshops. Dependability comprises three aspects: Attributes, which describe or limit dependability: these include availability, reliability, safety, confidentiality, integrity, and maintainability. Means, which refer to the major factors associated with dependability: fault prevention, fault tolerance, fault removal, and fault forecasting. Threats, which reduce or affect the dependability, including errors, faults, and failures. Dependable systems, among others, include: embedded systems, safety-critical systems, critical-information systems, and electronic commerce. The pair of workshops was initiated to discuss the means available and research to be accomplished in order to establish sets of scientific principles and practical engineering techniques for developing, maintaining, and evaluating dependable computer-based systems. Participants started by assuming that this could be initiated by concentrating on the integration of methods and disciplines used in the fields of security, fault-tolerance, and high-assurance, especially by concentrating on those techniques that enable measurement of their attributes. Emphasis was therefore placed on techniques that enable integration, composability, reuse, and cost prediction of dependable systems.