Infrastructure security

Infrastructure security is the security provided to protect infrastructure, especially critical infrastructure, such as airports, highways
[1] rail transport, hospitals, bridges, transport hubs, network communications, media, the electricity grid, dams, power plants,
seaports, oil refineries, and water systems. Infrastructure security seeks to limit vulnerability of these structures and systems to
sabotage, terrorism, and contamination.[2]

Critical infrastructures naturally utilize information technology as this capability has become more and more available. As a result,
they have become highly interconnected, and interdependent. Intrusions and disruptions in one infrastructure might provoke
[3]
unexpected failures to others. How to handle interdependencies becomes an important problem.

The most recent example of vulnerable infrastructure was the electrical grid in 2003, when Northeastern American areas experienced
[4]
a power outage that appears to have originated in the Midwest, and possibly from a tree branch.

Contents
Potential causes of infrastructure failure
Security challenges for the electricity infrastructure
Remedies
See also
References
External links

Potential causes of infrastructure failure

Critical infrastructure is vital for essential functioning of a country. Incidental or deliberate damage will have serious impact on the
economy as well as providing essential services to the communities it serves. There are a number of reasons why infrastructure needs
to be heavily secured and protected.

Terrorism - person or groups deliberately targeting critical infrastructure for political gain. In the
November 2008
Mumbai attacks, the Mumbai central station and hospital were deliberately targeted.
Sabotage - person or groups such as ex-employee, political groups against governments, environmental groups in
defense of environment. Refer toBangkok's International Airport Seized by Protestors .
Information warfare - private person hacking for private gain or countries initiating attacks to glean information and
also damage a country's infrastructure. For example, incyberattacks on Estoniaand cyberattacks during the 2008
South Ossetia war.
Natural disaster - hurricane or natural events which damage critical infrastructure such as oil pipelines, water and
power grids. See Hurricane Ike and Economic effects of Hurricane Katrina.

Security challenges for the electricity infrastructure

One of the fundamental foundations of modern society is the electrical power systems. An intentional disruption of electricity
supplies would affect national security, the economy, and every person's life. Because power grids and their sources are widely
dispersed, this is a challenge for the effectiveness of defensive organizations and structures.[5]

Sabotage can damage electrical sources for the power grid, including civilian nuclear power stations. Sabotage in the form of
cyberattacks can create havoc with computer, communication, and information systems, which could severely interrupt the electrical
supply. This in turn can cause major disruptions to other infrastructure components of society. Comprehensive defense plans are
proposed.[3]

One method is to isolate load systems. Sophisticated defense systems should be wide-area, real-time protection, with control systems
[3]
that are alerted and guided by sensing technologies. Communication and information must be capably routed.

Remedies
Many countries have initiated government agencies to directly manage the security of critical infrastructure usually through the
Ministry of Interior/Home Affairs, dedicated security agencies to protect facilities such as United States Federal Protective Service
and also creation of dedicated transport police such as the British Transport Police. There are also commercial transportation security
units such as the Amtrak Police in the United States.

A number of government organizations has focus on infrastructure security and protection. The Technical Support Working Group
has the Infrastructure Protection Subgroup. The UK has the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre
.

Several infrastructures also use fiber optic perimeter intrusion detection security systems, which enables the detection and location of
intrusions over many miles of deployed fiber. This is commonly used at water utility sites[6] and at other critical infrastructure sites
globally.[7]

See also
National security
Information warfare
Homeland security
Airport security
Physical security
High-voltage transformer fire barriers
US specific:

United States Federal Protective Service

National Infrastructure Protection Plan

References
1. http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/highway/index.shtm
2. "Archived copy" (https://web.archive.org/web/20081216161520/http://www .tsa.gov/who_we_are/index.shtm).
Archived from the original (http://www.tsa.gov/who_we_are/index.shtm) on 2008-12-16. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
3. Li, Hao; et al. (May 2005). "Strategic Power Infrastructure Defense"(http://www.science.smith.edu/~jcardell/Reading
s/TRUST%20US/IEEE%20Proc%20May%202005/PwrSys%20Defense.pdf) (PDF). Proceedings of the IEEE. 93 (5):
918–933. doi:10.1109/JPROC.2005.847260(https://doi.org/10.1109%2FJPROC.2005.847260) . Retrieved
2009-11-07.
4. https://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/blohm_r/NYTimes130504.htm/&date=2009-10-
25+13:43:27
5. Massoud, Amin (April 2002). "Security Challenges for the Electricity Infrastructure (Supplement to Computer
Magazine)". Computer. 35 (4): 8. doi:10.1109/MC.2002.10042(https://doi.org/10.1109%2FMC.2002.10042).
6. Future Fibre Technologies Inc and UnlimitedTechnology Inc announce a major perimeter security upgrade program
for 24 pennsylvania based water utility sites(https://www.forbes.com/feeds/prnewswire/2010/04/21/prnewswire2010
04212111PR_NEWS_USPR_____NY91268.html) , Forbes. Retrieved 2010-21-04.
7. Perimeter Protection Critical Sites(http://www.git-security.com/topstories/security/perimeter-protection-critical-sites)
,
GIT Security. Retrieved 2010-05-03.

External links
 US Transportation Security Administration Website
UK Department of Transport's Transport Security
Partnership for Critical Infrastructure Security

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