Sikkerheit

Sikkerheit is a term used in several Scandinavian and related languages to denote the state or quality of being safe and secure. The concept encompasses physical safety, protection of property, and the safeguarding of information and systems. In everyday usage, sikkerheit merges personal safety, public safety, and security management, and it often arises in discussions of policy, business operations, and technology.

Across domains, sikkerheit covers multiple layers: physical sikkerheit, which aims to prevent injury and harm in homes, workplaces, and communities; cyber or information sikkerheit, which focuses on protecting data, networks, and digital services from threats; and institutional sikkerheit, which concerns preparedness, resilience, and response to emergencies.

Historically, ideas of sikkerheit have evolved with urban growth, industrialization, and digitalization, expanding from basic protection of life and property to include data integrity, continuity of services, and human security.

In practice, sikkerheit management relies on risk assessment, preventive controls, incident response, and continuous improvement. It is guided by international standards and frameworks in safety, information security, and risk management, and by national laws and regulations governing labor safety, environmental protection, and critical infrastructure.

See also: safety, security, risk management, information security, public safety.