Vulnerability assessment of chemical plants to intentional acts

Abstract

Industrial facilities where relevant quantities of hazardous chemicals are stored or processed may be direct or indirect targets of malicious acts of interference, including cyber or physical attacks. In the case of direct attacks, one or more process units may be damaged within the installation, often with the clear willingness of triggering domino effects escalating the primary event and possibly involving the entire installation. Also indirect attacks may be relevant, where the damage or destruction of neighboring sensible civilian targets is the primary aim of the action, but domino effects may be generated by the effects of the interaction with primary, large-scale accidents occurring outside the physical border of the facility. Escalation may result in cascading events that may heavily involve and damage the industrial facility of concern.