Defining critical infrastructure is as tricky as defining terrorism
Kristopher
Based on the Read items thus far, what does critical infrastructure (CI) mean? What are soft and hard targets? What does the term cascading effects mean? What is the most important CI where you live or work? Why do you say this?
Defining critical infrastructure is as tricky as defining terrorism. That is to say, the changing dynamics of the world coupled with how the word critical is interpreted can lead to some arbitrary definitions. Moteff and Parfomak (2006) state that infrastructure in the mid-1990s was commonly defined as the nation’s public works. Moteff and Parfomak continue to say that because of September 11, the United States went on to create the Patriot Act, which, among other things, set out to refine the definition of critical infrastructure.
The assigned textbook for the class understanding, assessing, and responding to terrorism by Bennett (2018) states the current running definition of critical infrastructure as system and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that incapacity or destruction would lead problems with national security and public safety. The definition provided by Bennett (2018) is pulled straight from the USA Patriot ACT. When referring to critical infrastructure, there are soft targets and hard targets. Soft targets are vital resources and assets that are usually privately owned, have a lack of proper security, and are difficult to defend and protect (Bennett, 2018). Some examples of soft targets could be cellular towers littered throughout the states, some public transit systems, and hospitals.
Hard targets are those assets that have at least sufficient security, some degree of limited or restricted access to the public, and have some form of countermeasures to deter or mitigate potential attacks (Bennett, 2018). While hard targets are much more difficult to damage or destroy, they are often sought by terrorists because, if damaged, the results are much more catastrophic to a country than soft targets. For example, even though most nuclear power plants are well protected in the United States if attacked and left crippled, thousands of people and other critical industries would be left vulnerable and useless. Without power, hospitals can only run for so long on generators. In addition, transportation services, fuel stations, and many other vital components would be affected.
The above example of an affected power plant is also known as cascading events. Haes Alhelou et al. (2019) discuss cascading events in their journal article, a survey on power system blackout and cascading events: research motivations and challenges. Cascading events in critical infrastructure, according to Haes Alhelou et al. (2019), are those situations in which a constant failure of other systems results from an attack on a primary structure. The example of the electricity grid used previously is a great example. As the electrical grid is attacked, other secondary and tertiary systems in the critical infrastructure system start to fail. In turn, those secondary and tertiary failures start causing other shortcomings in the system.
I live in the general vicinity of Houston, where there is a plethora of oil refineries, hospitals, and airports. Probably, the critical infrastructure that would have the most significant impact is the refineries in the Channelview and LaPorte areas. I say this because the site is so vast and filled with dangerous chemicals that if a well-carried out attack occurred, it would severely cripple movement in the port, affect tens of thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of people, and the effects would trickle to the rest of the United States in the lost production of fuels. In addition, the cleanup and time needed to restore the area would take considerable time and money. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16, The Holy Bible, English Standard Edition).
References
Bennett, B. T. (2018). Understanding, assessing, and responding to terrorism: Protecting critical infrastructure and personnel. John Wiley & Sons.
Haes Alhelou, H., Hamedani-Golshan, M. E., Njenda, T. C., & Siano, P. (2019). A survey on power system blackout and cascading events: Research motivations and challenges. Energies, 12(4), 682.
Moteff, J., & Parfomak, P. (2004). Critical infrastructure and key assets: definition and identification. Library of Congress Washington DC Congressional Research Service.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version: containing the Old and New Testament. (2022)
2 hours ago
Lindsay
Discussion One: What Are Critical Infrastructures?
Although the definition of critical infrastructure in the United States has changed over the years, critical infrastructure is currently defined as the physical and virtual systems and assets that are vital to the nation, and whose incapacitation or destruction would be debilitating to the country’s security, economy, public health, public safety, or a combination of these (Bennett, 2018; Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, 2020). According to Presidential Policy Directive 21 issued by President Barack Obama in 2013, there are 16 critical infrastructure sectors identified in the United States, including chemical, commercial facilities, communications, critical manufacturing, dams, emergency services, information technology, nuclear reactors, materials, and waste, food and agriculture, the defense industrial base, energy, healthcare and public health, financial services, water and wastewater systems, government facilities, and transportation systems (Bennett, 2018; Taylor & Swanson, 2019). Each critical infrastructure consists of crucial assets that are necessary to maintain the current standard of living, economic vitality, national security, governance, and comfort, and dependencies, vulnerabilities, and a lack of alternatives affect the criticality of any given infrastructure (Bennett, 2018). Critical infrastructure can be owned by the public or the private sector, can be hard or soft, and can be static or mobile. Key resources can be considered a subset of critical infrastructure because they are the resources and systems involved with critical infrastructure, and include resources like cruise ships (Bennett, 2018). These resources, if destroyed, can endanger vital systems and cause large-scale damage, injury, destruction, or even death. Key assets are considered a subset of key resources, and although their destruction does not endanger vital systems, it could cause local disaster or damage the morale or confidence of the country as a whole. An example of a key asset is the Statue of Liberty.
Soft and Hard Targets
While publicly owned infrastructure tends to be at least somewhat hardened, privately-owned infrastructure is much more likely to be soft (Bennett, 2018). Soft targets are usually privately owned, are open to the general public, and are either difficult to protect and defend or lack proper security. These types of targets are not meant to limit or restrict the general public from accessing them, and they are either relatively unguarded or difficult to effectively secure, especially because they are perceived as having a low risk of exploitation. Examples of soft targets include shopping centers, restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, churches, trains, and buses. Hard targets have sufficient security and countermeasures that offer a high degree of protection. This protection includes restricted access, physical hardening, and administrative countermeasures. Examples of hard targets include nuclear power plants, government facilities, and airports.
Cascading Effects
Cascading effects occur when an accident, natural disaster, or intentional attack on a system initiates a chain of events that continue to cause other events, magnifying the effect of the original event (Bennett, 2018). Interdependencies and interconnection both exacerbate this effect, leading to indirect effects that are not as obvious as the direct effects. An example of the cascading effect can be seen when examining the effects of hurricanes on the Gulf Coast region in 2005. The hurricanes caused electrical generating capabilities to fail, leading to the loss of domestic water supplies, the shutdown of petroleum refineries, and the loss of communications systems. These losses then created issues for emergency services with water, fuel, and communication. Although emergency services were not directly impacted, the cascading effects, exacerbated by interdependencies within the critical infrastructures, allowed the loss of electrical power to prevent emergency services from functioning properly.
Most Important Critical Infrastructure and Why
Living on a military base is a bit different than living in a civilian community, but even so, there are critical infrastructures that are vital to maintaining national security, public safety, and the lives of those living and working in the community. Like many civilian communities, the most important critical infrastructure is the electrical power infrastructure on the post. There are a huge number of systems that depend on electrical power, and although critical resources like the ammunition supply point and the hospital have redundancies and procedures to mitigate any risks in the event of a power failure, the functioning of the majority of the post requires electricity. Without it, critical pieces of everyday life for those living on the post, including access to the commissary, communications, appliances, and importantly, air conditioning, would be unavailable. Additionally, with the military being so reliant on the internet and electricity to maintain functionality, when the power is out, there are few ways to continue working. Emergency services would be able to continue, although their abilities may be more limited, but as a whole, without power, the post would be inactive. Additionally, because access control points rely on electricity for systems that check identification, even with manual checking, the security of the post may be at higher risk without electricity.
Christian Worldview
The fact that threats to critical infrastructures are inevitable is reinforced by Luke 21:11, where Jesus states, “There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven” (New International Bible, 1978/2011). Even so, identifying these infrastructures, resources, and assets is the first step in protecting them from whatever may come. While it is not always possible to prevent events that can threaten critical infrastructure, by knowing what critical infrastructures exist within a community, these events can be more easily prevented, or at least mitigated.
References
Bennett, B. T. (2018). Understanding, assessing, and responding to terrorism: Protecting critical infrastructure and personnel (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency. (2020, October 21). Critical infrastructure sectors. https://www.cisa.gov/critical-infrastructure-sectors
New International Bible. (2011). Zondervan. (Original work published 1978)
Taylor, R. W., & Swanson, C. R. (2019). Terrorism, intelligence, and homeland security (2nd ed.). Pearson.
Answer preview to Defining critical infrastructure is as tricky as defining terrorism
APA
471 words
