Homework Wk 5

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Our critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) are our nation’s components, which affect our everyday lives. Critical infrastructure can include agriculture, food, energy, health care, financial institutions, water, and transportation. An attack on these facilities could have devastating impact on security, economy, health, and or safety. Homeland Security Presidential Directive-7 (HSPD-7) provides the framework for federal agencies on how to protect against attacks against CIKR. Through HSPD-7, the Nation Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) outlines the agencies, which are responsible for oversight of protecting CIKR. Through identifying assets, managing risks, and prioritizing resources, the NIPP is able to implement programs with physical and logical security measures. The goal of the NIPP is to, “Build a safer, more secure, and more resilient America…and to strengthen national preparedness, timely response, and rapid recovery of CIKR …” (National Infrastructure Protection Plan: Partnering to enhance protection and resiliency, 2009, p. 9). The NIPP utilizes a network approach to enable cross talk between deferent agencies and provide information sharing on subjects such as, threat assessments, warning, incident reports, and best practices to mitigate threat and vulnerability. While this information under the protection of, the Protected Critical Infrastructure Information Program (PCII), CIKR owner / operators give it on a voluntary basis. CIKR’s are mainly owned by the private sector, which makes it imperative that the public sector provides up to date business strategy, business continuity, and emergency management coordination in order to reduce impacts across the CIKR spectrum. The amount of investment for security measures as it relates to the private sector is based on two factors, “(1) what is known about the risk environment, and (2) what is economically justifiable and sustainable in a competitive marketplace or within resource constraints.”  (2009, p. 24). The Department of Homeland security along with other Federal agencies enable the private sector to make the best decision on security upgrades by providing mitigating strategies to reduce vulnerabilities. Through DHS strategies, relief, and assistance, private sectors are enabled to make the best decision in utilizing resources. Private sector security measures vary across the sector, some are voluntary while others are mandated through regulatory or statutory guidance. Regardless, the private sector can collaborate with the public sector and protect CIKR assets by conducting risk assessments, identifying vulnerabilities, implementing strategies, which encompass local and state emergency responses, and information sharing.

Reference:

National Infrastructure Protection Plan: Partnering to enhance protection and resiliency. (2009). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security.