Critical Infrastructures: Background, Policy, and Implementation

Abstract

The nation's health, wealth, and security rely on the production and distribution of certain goods and services. The array of physical assets, functions, and systems across which these goods and services move are called critical infrastructures (e.g., electricity, the power plants that generate it, and the electric grid upon which it is distributed). The national security community has been concerned for sometime about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to both physical and cyber attack. In May 1998, President Clinton released Presidential Decision Directive No. 63. The Directive set up groups within the federal government to develop and implement plans that would protect government-operated infrastructures and called for a dialogue between government and the private sector to develop a National Infrastructure Assurance Plan that would protect all of the nation's critical infrastructures by the year 2003. While the Directive called for both physical and cyber protection from both manmade and natural events, implementation focused on cyber protection against manmade cyber events (i.e., computer hackers). However, given the physical damage caused by the September 11 attacks, physical protections of critical infrastructures has received increased attention. Following the events of September 11, the Bush Administration released Executive Order 13228, signed October 8, 2001, establishing the Office of Homeland Security. Among its duties, the Office shall "coordinate efforts to protect the United States and its critical infrastructure from the consequences of terrorist attacks." In November 2002, Congress passed legislation creating a Department of Homeland Security. Among its responsibilities is overall coordination of critical infrastructure protection activities.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 02, 2008
Accession Number
ADA511278

Entities

People

  • John D. Moteff

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Cyber
  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Area Security
  • Communication Systems
  • Computer Network Security
  • Counterterrorism
  • Cyber Protection
  • Cybersecurity
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Emergency Response
  • Environmental Protection
  • Health Services
  • Homeland Security
  • Information Exchange
  • Information Systems
  • Law
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • Risk Analysis

Readers

  • Cybersecurity.
  • Strategic Security Studies

Technology Areas

  • Cyber