Fail-safe is to security what circuit breakers are to home safety. If a problem is detected with security or with safety, actions are put into place to prevent a potential disaster from occurring. If an electrical fault causes a short, the circuit breaker halts the flow of electricity, preventing a fire from starting. Similarly, if a firewall crashes, the system architect must decide whether to disable all network connectivity or let network connectivity continue, despite the risk to security.

Today, a number of fail-safe products are on the market, such as FailSafe®, a professional liability product line designed for the diverse risks facing small and mid-sized technology companies. This product is produced by Hartford Financial Products.

See Also: Firewall.