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A Security Management System (SeMS) is a structured approach that incorporates data-driven risk-based principles in the strategic and day-to-day oversight and management of security.

The adoption and implementation of SeMS benefits organizations by:

  • Providing a structured framework enhances security oversight and strengthens security culture within an organization.
  • Facilitating a risk-based approach that helps facilitate the prioritization and agility in the distribution of resources.
  • Facilitates the development and delivery of consistent and efficient security outcomes for the organization.
  • Promoting internal and external confidence in an organization's security oversight system capabilities and activities.

IATA SeMS Strategy

The IATA SeMS strategy is centred on the promotion and implementation of SeMS in order to provide a more consistent and standardized structure that facilitates effective, efficient and more uniform security standards throughout the aviation industry.

In order to help organizations in establishing an effective SeMS, IATA has four pillars of industry engagement to facilitate the active and ongoing promotion, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of SeMS.

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Implementing Security Management Systems

Download the infographic (pdf) to get an overview of IATA's SeMS.

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Aviation Security Forum | Montreal, Canada | 5-6 November 2025

The next Aviation Security Forum will take place in Montreal, Canada on 5-6 November 2025.

Register your interest to attend by contacting us at aviationsecurity@iata.org.

Attendance is free and you are welcome to contribute to the development of the program by offering topics.

About the SeMS Workshops

At the inaugural SeMS Workshop (2022), there was a general agreement to generate agnostic/generic SeMS information for wider use and dissemination. The SeMS Key Information (pdf) also includes other useful links. In addition, a SeMS Aviation Community has been created for all willing to share and learn about SeMS.

In June 2024, an AOSP/SSPs workshop, organized by IATA took place in Singapore to explore the impact of SeMS oversight functions related to security measures implemented by External Service Providers (ESPs), as well as the sharing of their assessments within the aviation security community. The Executive Summary of the AOSP/SSPs workshop is available on request.

On 11 November 2024, an SeMS workshop took place in Geneva for presenting all current and coming SeMS initiatives, products and tools supporting the existing IOSA Standards that could impact all stakeholders of the aviation ecosystem, such as the new IOSA provision promoting SeMS before External Service Providers (ESPs) in ISM/17 (SEC 1.11.3). SeMS Aviation Community, new Edition of the SeMS Manual, SeMS courses, SeMS Toolkit for ESPs, and the new SeMS Certification Program were discussed.

IATA has demonstrated the value of SeMS through its IOSA Program for almost two decades. SeMS contributes to the capability of airlines, and their partners and External Service Providers (ESPs), by providing a structured framework that strengthens security oversight and enhances security culture within an organization allowing them to better manage security in an ever-changing reality operating environment. With a focus on the human factor, SeMS helps organizations improve their internal processes to develop and foster consistent, efficient and sustainable security performance culture outcomes for organizations. 

IATA encourages all actors to recognize the value-added of implementing SeMS in a manner tailored to individual needs and to that purpose, has several tools and resources available. 

IATA SeMS Manual

The latest edition of the IATA SeMS Manual aims to provide a comprehensive resource that contains guidelines on building a SeMS framework. It contains guidelines on formulating effective aviation security measures, organizational accountability and responsibility assignment, risk assessment, security reporting and improving communication processes amongst several other topics. The IATA SeMS Manual is aligned with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs). 

IDX

A key component of SeMS is Incident Management & Response. In order to develop and implement effective security processes, security-related incident data is essential. To structure and facilitate data collection, IATA promotes a security occurrences' taxonomy, embedded in The Incident Data Exchange (IDX), used in the IATA SeMS Manual, and other IATA publications including the IOSA Standards Manual.

Other Tools & Resources

SeMS-Related Tools & Resources

Other Resources

In addition to IATA, other civil aviation organizations have published SeMS material and resources for civil aviation stakeholders to utilize. These include, but are not limited to:

A fundamental component of SeMS is the execution of security-related assurance activities in order to ensure that its security performance is aligned with its security policy and that security risks and threats are effectively mitigated. Core assurance activities rely on effective security performance monitoring, measurement and evaluation.

To assist airlines in security assurance activities in support of a cohesive SeMS Strategy, IATA has produced some security assurance-related resources.

IATA SeMS Certification Program (SeMS CP)

IATA offers a SeMS Certification Program that builds on existing SeMS requirements contained in the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) program.It is designed to assess the overall management and control of an organization's security system, and determines the level of maturity against the industry-established principals and best practices.

IATA SeMS Toolkit (for ESPs)

IATA has developed the IATA SeMS Toolkit for ESPs that allows an organization to conduct an initial self-assessment of its SeMS posture. This toolkit can also be used by airlines' External Service Providers (ESPs).

To request access to the IATA SeMS Toolkit for ESPs, contact aviationsecurity@iata.org.