What factors are taken into consideration for 'Security Status'?

Question

I've done a lot of missions and I have noticed that you get a tiny tiny increase to your 'security status' for each mission that you do. This goes up quite slowly though, and I'm wondering what other activities I can complete that will speed up the increase of this value?

In addition, are there are skills that I can train that will affect changes in security status? What other factors are taken into consideration when calculating changes to security status?

Finally, I have seen some people around with very slow security statuses, what actions can lead to a reduction of your security status and what ramifications do these have in the game world?

Answer 1

Actions that increase your security status would be killing npc pirates in missions or asteroid belts.

A decrease in security rating is given to those that attack people without wardecs in high security space or low security space. No penalty is given in nullsec.

You cannot increase the rating itself by skills, but the skill "Fast Talk" in "Social" nets you 5% bonus per level to effective security rating increase, which means you get up to 25% more each time you are awarded an increase.

A low security rating will award you with being hunted down by the navy of the system and your ship getting killed. An overview when this will happen:

Players with -2.0 or worse will be attacked in 1.0 systems
Players with -2.5 or worse will be attacked in 0.9 systems
Players with -3.0 or worse will be attacked in 0.8 systems
Players with -3.5 or worse will be attacked in 0.7 systems
Players with -4.0 or worse will be attacked in 0.6 systems
Players with -4.5 or worse will be attacked in 0.5 systems

Source

You are not attacked by concord though, which would render you unable to do anything in highsec. Also, other players are allowed to attack you since you are a criminal so never afk travel when you have a low security rating.