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Critical Infrastructure Security

By   ·  1 minute read

From a cyberattack on a nuclear power plant to an exposed electrical grid, every government holds the responsibility of protecting its citizens from harm. This is why critical infrastructure security is so essential

Critical infrastructure security is essential to protecting countries against natural disasters, terrorist activities, and harmful cyber threats. From energy institutions to transportation companies, all sectors of critical infrastructure require the highest standard and disaster preparedness, including chemical, financial and healthcare sectors.

16 Critical Infrastructure Sectors

  • Chemical Sector
  • Commercial Facilities Sector
  • Communications Sector
  • Critical Manufacturing Sector
  • Dams Sector
  • Defense Industrial Base Sector
  • Emergency Services Sector
  • Energy Sector
  • Financial Services Sector
  • Food and Agriculture Sector
  • Government Facilities Sector
  • Healthcare and Public Health Sector
  • Information Technology Sector
  • Nuclear Reactors, Materials and Waste Sector
  • Transportation Systems Sector
  • Water and Wastewater Systems Sector

What Is Critical Infrastructure Security

Common components of critical infrastructure include Industrial Control Systems (ICS), Operation Technology (OT), and SCADA Systems, all of which require preventative cybersecurity preparedness. In today’s connected environments, digital and physical systems are converging and systems that once stood alone managing critical infrastructure operations are now connected, bringing with it a whole sleuth of new security concerns. Having a Critical Infrastructure Protection plan in place can help organizations prepare for and prevent serious incidents involving critical infrastructure environments.

To protect against an ever-growing number of threats, security experts must re-examine the integrity of critical infrastructure systems regularly, ensuring they hold up against unique threats and attacks. While system or network security almost always incites thoughts of hacker or terrorist threats, many other exposures that should also be taken into consideration when examining the viability of a CIP plans, such as equipment failure, human error and natural causes. While preventing attacks takes a combination of knowledge, technology and skill, it also requires a security-aware culture.