Ladislav Mariš

This article introduces the Fractal Risk Assessment Model (FRAM), a novel approach to quantifying and visualising risk in complex physical infrastructure, such as water utilities. Traditional risk assessment methods often struggle to capture the multi-layered and spatially intricate nature of modern security systems. Drawing on fractal geometry concepts, FRAM treats risk as a spatially structured problem where critical properties can recur across various scales. The model integrates classic probability (P) and impact (D) with two key fractal indicators: Fractal Dimension (Df), which quantifies the structural complexity, and Lacunarity (Lf), representing the distribution of unprotected "gaps" or "empty spaces" within the security layout. By defining risk as Rf = P * D * (Df * Lf), FRAM provides a quantifiable measure that reflects both an object's inherent complexity and the completeness of its protective measures. The article applies FRAM to a hypothetical water utility, demonstrating its capability to identify vulnerabilities and assess risk more precisely than linear models, thereby offering valuable insights for enhancing physical security management. The article is intended for experts in risk assessment, security management, and project managers, particularly in the field of security.

Business continuity management (BCM) has become a critical element in corporate strategy, ensuring organizations are equipped to handle and recover from disruptive incidents and crises. The core of BCM is the business impact analysis (BIA), which assesses the potential consequences of business interruptions to determine the maximum acceptable outage (MAO) critical for designing recovery strategies. This article discusses the application of BIA alongside risk assessment to create a comprehensive framework for organizations to anticipate and prepare for threats, exemplified through a simplified case study that demonstrates how these tools can enhance a company's resilience to unforeseen events.

In today’s world, where environmental protection and sustainability are increasingly important, it is essential to pay attention to the environmental impact of different industries. One of these industries with a potentially significant impact on life, human health, the environment, and property is gas stations, which are essential links in the fuel supply chain. This article focuses on the topic of assessing the impact of gas stations on surrounding environments and will examine the potential negative impacts that these operations can have on society and the environment. The aim of the paper is to analyze how gas stations affect their surroundings in the event of an incident involving a spill of hazardous substances. The scope of the paper is to assess the impacts of a spill of hazardous substances from a gas station, with an emphasis on assessing the risks and consequences on the life and health of the people in the immediate vicinity of the gas station. The selected gas station’s location in the High Tatras National Park enhances the study’s significance due to the unique environmental context, heightened environmental sensitivity, and potential legislative implications. ALOHA software version 5.4.7 was chosen for simulating the release of hazardous substance due to its extensive substance database, mathematical models, support for various release sources, internet availability, and graphical result representation. This manuscript argues for risk assessment beyond current legislation, addressing unclassified sources of risk. This research contributes by utilizing predictive modeling, recognizing environmental contexts, and emphasizing legislative attention. It discusses the consequences of emergency scenarios involving gasoline and LPG, addresses potential limitations and uncertainties, and advocates for accident prevention and risk assessment, especially in environmentally sensitive areas. The conclusion suggests improvements in predictive modeling, legislative adaptation, collaboration, and an expanded scope of analysis for future research. The aim of the paper is also to discuss measures that can be taken to minimize these impacts and ensure sustainable and safe operation. Assessing the risks arising from the operation of gas stations contributes to the development of measures to protect and preserve our environment for future generations.

Water management systems play a crucial role in efficiently allocating water resources while taking into account various demands such as agriculture, industry, domestic use, and environmental needs. These systems optimize the distribution of water, ensuring fair access and minimizing water scarcity and conflicts. However, these critical systems are vulnerable to different types of attacks. Depending on the target, these attacks can take the form of physical, cyber, or combined assaults. The protection requirements for water objects, which are integral to critical infrastructure, are primarily defined by legal regulations, technical standards, and other third party requirements. These requirements necessitate the implementation of protective measures. One effective approach to implementing protective measures is through a physical protection system (PPS), which prevents unauthorized individuals from achieving their objectives. The current procedures for protecting these objects can be based on either a qualitative or quantitative approach. In this article, we present a use case that demonstrates a possible method for protecting a specific water reservoir, identified as a national element of critical infrastructure in the Drinking Water Provision subsector. The use case involves analyzing security requirements and designing a PPS for the water reservoir. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed PPS, a quantitative PPS model was developed using specialized software. Additionally, four potential attack scenarios were simulated to verify the functionality of the PPS.

Water management systems help allocate water resources effectively, considering various demands such as agriculture, industry, domestic use, and environmental needs. They optimise water distribution and ensure equitable access, minimising water scarcity and conflicts. Critical elements of this system are often the target of various attacks. Depending on the target of the attack, different scenarios based on physical, cyber, or combined forms of attacks can be used. Requirements for the protection of water objects forming part of the critical infrastructure system are determined primarily by generally binding legal regulations, technical standards, or other requirements of third parties. These requirements imply the need to adopt certain protective measures. Physical protection system (PPS), as a convenient way of organising protective measures, makes it possible to prevent an unauthorised person from achieving his goal. Current procedures aimed at protecting objects use a qualitative or quantitative approach. The article presents the use case of a possible way to protect a selected water reservoir that has been identified as a national element of critical infrastructure in the subsector Drinking Water Provision. The use case is based on the analysis of safety requirements and subsequent design of the PPS water reservoir. To verify the functionality of the proposed PPS, a quantitative PPS model was created using a software tool, and four possible attack scenarios were simulated.