"A risk assessment of the Piql Services" by FFI

12 Conclusions

FFIs assignment in the PreservIA project has been to identify vulnerabilities and security challenges faced by the Piql Preservation Services today and in the next 500 years. As it is difficult to analyse something we cannot observe, we have had to base our assessment on risks and threats present in the foreseeable future. We have, however, tried to include a longer timeline by including scenarios which account for a high degree of uncertainty, such as terrorism, armed conflict and nuclear war. The vulnerabilities and security challenges which were identified in the scenario analysis may seem numerous, and, as such, paint a bleak picture. However, the outlook is not so grave. We have deliberately chosen to include descriptions of worst case scenarios in the assessment, and many of the vulnerabilities identified will only materialise under the worst of circumstances. Often there is also an easy solution to the problem. Our aim for presenting the vulnerabilities in this fashion is simply to emphasise that the event which so negatively affected the Piql Preservation Services can be a risk, so that Piql AS and Piql partners supplying the service are aware of the dangers and are consequently motivated to plan for them. Our scenario analysis identified several vulnerabilities: some severe, such as fire, chemical compounds and the threat of the insider in theft and sabotage; some not so severe, such as the effect of electromagnetic pulses and nuclear radiation; and some which simply require more testing before we can say anything definitive about their effects and consequences for the information stored with the Piql Preservation Services, such as the effects of water, smoke and physical pressure. Additionally, the PreservIA Consortium will conduct more tests regarding the effects of oxidative chemicals, such as ozone, which will enhance our understanding of how the piqlFilm reacts when exposed to chemical compounds. The main finding of the assessment with regards to identifying vulnerabilities is that the gelatine emulsion layer on the piqlFilm is the weakest link. As this is where the information is written, this vulnerability can have grave consequences for the security of the information stored. Though it does not stand to affect the confidentiality of the information, it highly influences the integrity and thus availability of the information. It should be noted, however, that the gelatine silver print method – preserving information using silver halides in gelatine on a base – is a technique that has been in use since 1874 to preserve photographs and later moving images [71]. Despite imperfect environmental conditions, such images still exist today, implying that this technology has withstood the test of time and proven its basic robustness. Nevertheless, the Piql Preservation Services has many strengths. For instance, though it seems like the gelatine emulsion layer is very vulnerable to external influences, the choice of material for the rest of the Piql components – the plastic of the piqlFilm, piqlBox and piqlBin – can serve to increase the security of the information stored. Especially the properties of the PP of the piqlBox and the PET of the piqlFilm seem to be able to withstand a great deal of external influence, and their longevity is proven [3].

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FFI-RAPPORT 16/00707