Protective Computing Canon v1.0: A Structural Map of the Discipline
K Overton · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026
Protective Computing is an emerging software engineering discipline concerned with designing systems that remain safe, usable, and ethically constrained when users operate under conditions of vulnerability or instability. Modern software architecture is largely built upon implicit assumptions of environmental stability, including reliable connectivity, predictable cognitive capacity, and dependable institutional infrastructure. In real-world conditions such assumptions frequently fail, creating failure cascades that expose users to harm, loss of access, or unintended data exposure. The Protective Computing Canon v1.0 defines the structural architecture of the discipline across four integrated layers: • Theory — The Overton Framework• Engineering Practice — Trauma-Informed Software Architecture• Evaluation — Protective Legitimacy Score (PLS)• Reference Implementation — PainTracker Together these components establish a coherent framework for designing, implementing, and evaluating software systems intended to operate safely within real-world vulnerability states. This document functions as a structural map of the discipline and provides normative design principles, evaluation criteria, and a conformance framework for future protective computing systems.