Goal-based safety standards and COTS software selection

In this paper we examine some of the challenges associated with adequately demonstrating the safety of COTS products as required by goal-based safety standards. The safety evidence available for COTS products - if any - is sometimes of questionable quality and applicability. This paper introduces a framework for assessing the applicability of the available evidence when selecting a COTS product for purchase. Use of this framework enables the purchase of a particular COTS product to be justified from a safety perspective, as well as identifying where further postpurchase analysis of the software will be required to support a safety argument.