Work

Secure-by-design through integrated security, safety and human factors

Year: 2026

Type: conference-paper

Abstract: Cyber-attacks increasingly threaten critical infrastructure, where interactions between security, safety, and human-system behaviour create complex socio-technical risks. If not managed early, these interactions can produce latent vulnerabilities and unsafe operational states. This paper presents a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), developed by Bournemouth University and Mima and funded by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), to operationalise Secure-by-Design through integrated Human Factors (HF), safety, and cybersecurity analysis. The MVP combines System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) with Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA), Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA), Performance Shaping Factors (PSFs), and Human Attributes analysis to generate a structured and traceable User Requirements Document (URD) from a Defence specification exemplar. Results demonstrate that integrating HF, safety, and cybersecurity during early capability definition enables identification of cross-domain risks and supports derivation of coherent, traceable Secure-by-Design requirements for cyber-physical systems.

Source: Bournemouth University Research Online (Bournemouth University)

Authors: Thron, E., Ki-Aries, Duncan, Dogan, Huseyin, Freer, M., Faily, Shamal

Institutions: Bournemouth University, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory

Language: English

Topic: Systems Engineering Methodologies and Applications

Subfield: Control and Systems Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W7160678387

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