A Systems Analysis of the A.Q. Khan Network

摘要

In this study, we apply the methods of engineering risk analysis to understand the structure of a nuclear proliferation network in order to defeat it. These methods are typically applied to engineering systems in order to assess the weaknesses in a system and determine the most cost-effective way to improve that system; instead, this analysis turns risk analysis on its head, as we seek to understand the uncertainties, dependencies, and redundancies that exist in the system in order to induce failure (or degradation). In order to accomplish this goal, our team modeled the A.Q. Khan network as a supply chain in order to determine its weak points and possible ways to defeat the network. We then attempted to generalize our findings in order to apply them to future networks. Our report is based completely on our analysis of open source information.