The development of a nuclear facility needs careful planning, adequate preparation and substantial investment. This includes the establishment of a legislative and regulatory framework with provisions to assess the adequacy of nuclear security and authorize activities at nuclear facilities at key stages in their lifetimes. This publication provides guidance to regulatory bodies responsible for the nuclear security of nuclear facilities on the authorization process for the operation of such facilities and for related activities. The guidance addresses nuclear security aspects that may require regulatory authorization during different stages in the lifetime of a nuclear facility, identifies the elements included in applications for authorization by the applicant or operator in each of these stages, and provides guidance to the regulatory body on the review and assessment of these applications and on related inspections as a basis for authorization decisions.

This publication provides detailed guidance (i) on the identification of potential sabotage targets in a nuclear facility and possible vulnerabilities that could lead to unacceptable or high radiological consequences if an initiating event of malicious origin were to take place and (ii) on the identification of vital areas in nuclear facilities. It also includes guidance to assist States in accounting for the potential risks to a facility associated with stand-off sabotage attacks. This publication is intended to be used by States, competent authorities involved in protection against the sabotage of nuclear and other radioactive material, relevant technical and scientific support organizations, as well as the operators of associated facilities and activities.

This publication provides detailed guidance to States and their competent authorities on how to implement and maintain a nuclear security regime for the transport of nuclear and other radioactive material. The publication builds upon relevant recommendations in NSS No. 13 and NSS No. 14 and provides additional explanations of how to implement these recommendations in practice. This publication is intended for nuclear security regulatory bodies and may also be useful to operators, shippers, carriers and others with transport security responsibilities to design their transport security systems.

This publication provides guidance on planning, implementing, and evaluating systems and measures in a State in order to detect nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control in the State’s interior by means of instrument alarms and information alerts. The guidance covers the planning of detection operations, equipment deployment and human resource development. This publication is intended for authorities responsible for designing, implementing, and sustaining nuclear security systems and measures within a State, such as personnel from the Ministry of Interior, Law Enforcement Agencies, Health Authorities, National Regulators, Emergency Response, and National Security Organizations.

Security management for radioactive material in use, storage and associated facilities includes the establishment and implementation of policies, plans, procedures and processes for the security of radioactive material. Security management assists to ensure that the security systems are effective, reliably operated and maintained with the necessary resources. Based on extensive input from technical and legal experts, this publication sets forth security management as an essential tool to verify that personnel, procedures and equipment operate interdependently and in an integrated manner, and that the leadership and personnel responsible for security demonstrate the highest commitment towards promoting a robust nuclear security culture within the organization. This Technical Guidance references and takes into account other IAEA Nuclear Security Series publications that provide guidance relating to security management. The document further provides guidance , including on the development of a security plan for radioactive material in use and in storage and for associated facilities. The Security Plan is an essential component of an operators licensing submission package. This Technical Guidance takes into account other IAEA Nuclear Security Series publications that provide guidance relating to security management and relating to security plans.

This revision provides guidance on how to establish or improve, develop, implement, maintain, and sustain computer security within nuclear facilities. This publication addresses the use of risk informed approaches to establish and enhance computer security policies, programmes; it describes the integration of computer security into the management system of a facility; establishes a systematic approach to identifying facility functions and appropriate computer security measures that protect sensitive digital assets and the facility from the consequence of cyber-attacks consistent with the threat assessment or design basis threat.

This publication provides a model academic curriculum covering the entire spectrum of nuclear security topics for a master’s degree programme or for an academic certificate programme in nuclear security. The first edition, entitled Educational Programmes in Nuclear Security, was published in 2010. Since then, the body of knowledge in the field of nuclear security has grown substantially and the IAEA Nuclear Security Series has expanded to cover more topics. The current publication takes into account the latest IAEA guidance, as well as feedback from the International Nuclear Security Education Network (INSEN) community and other international experts. The publication can be used by university curriculum developers as well as faculty and instructors from institutions that are implementing or considering educational programmes in nuclear security.

This publication provides detailed guidance on developing, implementing, and integrating computer security as a key component of nuclear security. This guidance applies to computer security aspects of nuclear security and its interfaces with nuclear safety and with other elements of a State’s nuclear security regime, including the security of nuclear material and nuclear facilities, of radioactive material and associated facilities, and of nuclear and other radioactive material outside of regulatory control. The scope of this publication includes: computer-based systems, the compromise of which could adversely affect nuclear security or nuclear safety; the State’s and relevant entities roles and responsibilities in relation to computer security in the nuclear security regime; the activities of the State in establishing and implementing a computer security strategy for nuclear security; the elements and measures for subordinate computer security programmes; and the activities to sustain the strategy.

This publication provides comprehensive detailed guidance for States, competent authorities and operators on how to implement the recommendations and implementing guidance of existing IAEA Nuclear Security Series publications for an effective physical protection system (PPS) for nuclear facilities and nuclear materials in use and storage. It provides further technical detail on how to design and evaluate a PPS, with respect to the selection and integration of appropriate, effective physical protection measures (including equipment). The publication is intended to serve as a general reference, pointing users to other complementary guidance on specific topics.

The identification and assessment of threats provides an essential basis for the selection, design, and implementation of nuclear security measures. For nuclear material and other radioactive material that is under regulatory control, and associated facilities and activities, the results of this identification and assessment are expressed as a design basis threat or representative threat statement describing the intentions and capabilities of potential adversaries against which the materials and associated facilities and activities are to be protected. An Implementing Guide was issued in 2009 under the title of Development, Use and Maintenance of the Design Basis Threat which was updated and revised. The result of this revision is the current publication. It provides a step-by-step methodology for conducting a national nuclear security threat assessment including both physical and computer security aspects, and for the development, use and maintenance of design basis threats and representative threat statements.

Nuclear security culture is an important component of an effective nuclear security regime, as it serves as a tool to improve the performance of the human component at nuclear facilities and organizations to counter both insider and outsider threats. Security culture connotes not only the technical proficiency of the people but also their awareness of security risks and motivation to follow established procedures, comply with regulations and take the initiative when unforeseen circumstances arise. A workforce made up of individuals who are vigilant, who question irregularities, execute their work diligently and exhibit high standards of personal and collective behaviour is able to achieve effective nuclear security. Building upon this understanding of the importance of a strong nuclear security culture, this publication provides practical guidance on how to implement a systematic nuclear security culture enhancement programme.

This publication presents detailed concepts and procedures for the preparation, conduct and evaluation of exercises to test relevant nuclear security systems and measures, and provides useful templates and checklists that can be used to assist the exercise development process. The technical guidance provided is targeted at States and their competent authorities to assist them in establishing and sustaining an effective infrastructure to strengthen detection of and response to material out of regulatory control and evaluate the effectiveness of their plans by presenting a structured methodology for the consistent development of exercises.