sécuritélike

Sécuritélike is a neologism used in Francophone security discourse to describe measures that convey a sense of safety without delivering substantial protection. The term blends sécurité with an English-like suffix, signaling that a feature resembles security in form but not in function. It is comparable to the concept of security theater in English, though used more narrowly to highlight a mismatch between appearance and effectiveness.

Characteristics include high visibility without robust controls, compliance-driven design, and user-facing elements that suggest security (badges, cameras, warnings) while key vulnerabilities remain unaddressed. It often arises when organizations seek regulatory compliance, public trust, or aesthetic consistency, but fail to integrate real risk assessment and ongoing monitoring.

Examples include visible CCTV that is not monitored or stored; authentication mechanisms that create friction without preventing intrusion; security banners or splash screens that deter casual misuse but do not secure systems; and dashboards emphasizing counts rather than risk reduction.

Implications include complacency, misallocation of resources, and a false sense of security among users and management. To mitigate, teams should tie security features to actual risk assessments, implement testing and audits, measure real impact, and favor usable security principles that balance protection with functionality.

See also: security theater; usable security; risk management; security by design.