The Need for Security

Security takes effort, time, and often money, so it is fair to ask why it is worth the trouble. The answer is that threats are real and ever-present. As long as some people are willing to take what is not theirs or to harm others, the rest of us need ways to protect what matters. The need for security is simply a response to that fact.

Understanding why protection is necessary helps you decide how much of it you actually need in a given situation, rather than spending too little and staying exposed or too much and wasting resources.

Questions you may have include:

• What threats make security necessary?
• What is at stake without it?
• How do you weigh the cost of security against its benefit?

Threats are always present

People and organizations face a steady background of possible threats: burglary, robbery, vandalism, fraud, assault, and the loss of valuable information. These threats do not depend on whether you are paying attention to them. A house with an unlocked door, a car left running, or an unguarded stream of personal data is an opportunity, and opportunities tend to be taken. The motivations behind such acts are discussed in reasons for criminal attacks; knowing them makes it easier to predict and prevent trouble.

What is at stake

The need for security grows with the value of what could be lost. At the most serious level, personal security protects life and physical well-being, which cannot be replaced. Below that, property security protects possessions, savings, and the things you depend on day to day. Information security protects your identity, finances, and privacy. There is also a less obvious stake: peace of mind. People who feel reasonably protected can go about their lives, work, and relationships without constant worry, which is itself a real benefit of taking security seriously.

Weighing cost against benefit

Because no one has unlimited resources, security is always a balance. The sensible approach is to match the level of protection to the level of risk. Spending a large sum to guard something of little value makes no sense, and neither does leaving something irreplaceable completely unprotected. For most everyday situations, the most effective measures are also the cheapest: locking doors, staying alert, and not advertising valuables. More elaborate measures, such as alarm systems or professional access control, are worth it when the value at risk justifies the expense. The principles for getting the most protection from a given effort are covered in the theory of security.

Summary

Security is needed because threats are always present and will exploit any easy opportunity. What is at stake ranges from life and physical safety down to property, information, and peace of mind, and the more valuable the asset, the greater the need for protection. Sensible security matches the level of protection to the level of risk, recognizing that the simplest measures often provide the most value for the least cost.