Title: Identifying drinking water and water treatment systems vulnerabilities using the CARVER matrix method

Authors: Timothy N. Mathieu, Alexander S. Rao

Addresses: Department of Business, Homeland Security, Daniel Webster College, 20 University Drive, Nashua, NH 03063, USA. ' Department of Business, Homeland Security, Daniel Webster College, 20 University Drive, Nashua, NH 03063, USA

Abstract: Originally designed for target analysis, CARVER is an acronym for the vulnerability assessment elements of criticality, accessibility, recuperability, vulnerability, effect and recognisability. Every category is assessed for each component or subcomponent of a designated target. Scoring can be based on any scale but typically ranges from the lowest significance of 1, to the highest significance score of 10. Employing the CARVER method for use as a risk prevention tool is an economical and effective method of analysis. The water sector can benefit from the analysis which CARVER provides due to waters importance as a resource and CARVER|s ability to provide insight on potential threats. While analysing three individual targets, it is possible to discover the broad scale use of the CARVER method. In addition, by using the CARVER method as a risk prevention tool, it provides a basis for continuing to develop methods to better the prevention of national security.

Keywords: CIKR; systems; vulnerability assessment; CARVER; criticality; accessibility; recuperability; effect; recognisability; security analysis; critical infrastructures; drinking water; water treatment; risk prevention; key resources.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCIS.2011.038955

International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, 2011 Vol.7 No.1, pp.37 - 49

Published online: 21 Oct 2014 *

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