The public perception of ''security'', both of the requirements and the implementation, is often at odds with the judgment of security professionals. There is clearly a need to bridge the existing gulf, both by better education of the public, and by the security community gaining a better understanding of public policy, its constraints and limitations, and the effects of public perception. This paper explores the topic through the examination of a case study. The example chosen was the recent Gulf War's effects on airport security in the US. The paper provides an analysis of the threat, as perceived by the FAA and the airports, the security measures imposed by the FAA, and their effects, on both public perception and in fact, from a technical security view. It also suggests that the lack of vulnerability analysis is a major problem in providing effective security.
展开▼