Protection Mechanism

A Protection Mechanism is a mechanism that can safeguard system resources, data assets, or operational processes from undesired events or unauthorized actions.

• AKA: Safety Mechanism, Protective System, Safeguard Mechanism.
• Context:
  • It can typically monitor System State through detection components.
  • It can typically enforce Protection Policy using control mechanisms.
  • It can typically respond to Threat Events via intervention actions.
  • It can typically maintain Protection Boundary between protected resources and potential threats.
  • It can typically implement Risk Mitigation Strategy based on threat assessment models.
  • ...
  • It can often provide Protection Logging for security audit purposes.
  • It can often adapt Protection Levels based on threat severity assessments.
  • It can often coordinate with Related Protection Systems for comprehensive coverage.
  • It can often balance Security Requirements with usability considerations.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Simple Protection Mechanism to being a Complex Protection Mechanism, depending on its protection sophistication level.
  • It can range from being a Reactive Protection Mechanism to being a Proactive Protection Mechanism, depending on its threat response timing.
  • It can range from being a Single-Layer Protection Mechanism to being a Multi-Layer Protection Mechanism, depending on its defense depth.
  • ...
  • It can integrate with Monitoring Systems for threat detection capability.
  • It can support Recovery Processes through incident response procedures.
  • It can enable Compliance Requirements via regulatory standard adherence.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Physical Protection Mechanisms, such as:
    • Mechanical Protection Devices, such as:
      • Safety Valve preventing pressure vessel explosions.
      • Circuit Breaker interrupting electrical fault currents.
    • Structural Protection Systems, such as:
      • Firewall (Physical) containing fire spread.
      • Flood Barrier preventing water damage.
  • Digital Protection Mechanisms, such as:
    • Access Control Mechanisms, such as:
      • Authentication System verifying user identity.
      • Authorization System enforcing permission rules.
    • Data Protection Mechanisms, such as:
      • Encryption Mechanism securing data confidentiality.
      • Overwrite Protection Mechanism preventing unintended data overwrites.
  • Process Protection Mechanisms, such as:
    • Error Handling Mechanisms, such as:
      • Exception Handler managing runtime errors.
      • Failover System maintaining service availability.
    • Resource Protection Mechanisms, such as:
      • Memory Protection preventing unauthorized memory access.
      • Rate Limiter controlling resource consumption rate.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Monitoring System, which observes system behavior without actively preventing undesired actions.
  • Logging System, which records system events without implementing protective measures.
  • Alert System, which notifies about potential issues without taking protective actions.
  • Analysis System, which evaluates system state without enforcing protection policy.
• See: Safety System, Security System, Risk Management, Fault Tolerance, Defense in Depth.

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