Critical Infrastructure Protection: Significant Challenges Need to Be Addressed
Abstract
The explosion in computer interconnectivity, while providing great benefits, also poses enormous risks. Terrorists or hostile foreign states could launch computer-based attacks on critical systems to severely damage or disrupt national defense or other critical operations. Presidential Decision Directive (33 and Executive Order 13231, issued in 1998 and 2001, respectively, call for various actions to improve our nation's critical infrastructure protection (CIP), including establishing partnerships between the government and the private sector. CIP involves activities that enhance the security of our nation's cyber and physical public and private infrastructure that are essential to national security, national economic security, and/or national public health and safety. The President's national strategy for homeland security, issued last week, identifies protecting critical infrastructures and intelligence and warning, a critical CIP component, as two of six mission areas and expands our nation's approach to cover additional sectors of our economy (see graphic). At the subcommittee's request, GAO discussed challenges the nation faces in protecting our critical infrastructures and addressing federal information security.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 24, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA404848
Entities
People
- Robert F. Dacey
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office