Security theater

Security theater is a term used to describe security countermeasures intended to provide a feeling of improved security while doing little or nothing to actually improve security. It is generally accepted that the term was originally coined by Bruce Schneier for his book Beyond Fear, but has gained currency in security circles, particularly for describing some airport security measures. It is also used by some experts such as Edward Felten to describe the security measures imposed after the September 11 attacks. Security theater gains importance both by satisfying and exploiting the gap between perceived risk and actual risk.