1. Define Critical Infrastructure, identify key concerns for protecting critical infrastructure and discuss the roles and responsibilities for protecting critical infrastructure.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (2013), “Critical infrastructure are the assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof” (para. 1). Approximately 85 percent of critical infrastructures is privately owned and operated, and most of these sectors are either poorly designed or deteriorated due to neglect and age (Sauter & Carafano, 2012).
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(1) Food/water production, energy, transportation, and banking services are classified as “goods and services”; (2) Information/telecommunications, and postal services are classified as “interconnectedness and operability”; (3) public health, emergency services, the defense industrial base, and government are classified as “public safety and security” (Sauter & Carafano, 2012, p. 414). The following paragraph will provide a detailed explanation of each infrastructure, along with key concerns (vulnerabilities of terrorist attacks) of each …show more content…
Another incident occurred on October 23, 2014 by a suspected Islamic convert in Queens, New York. The suspected Islamic convert critically wounded two NYPD officers with a hatchet. Islamic terrorist groups carefully choose their targets due to specific missions and objectives. Acts of terrorism are based on modernization, cultural conflict, and religion (Sauter & Carafano, 2012). Terrorists are creative in their attacks and is willing to explore different methods of inflicting fear and disrupting the economy. One of the many focal targets of terrorist groups are crowded civilian areas such as businesses and eateries. We often take for granted how serious terrorist attacks can be, and in most cases we fail to take preventive measures and implement emergency plans. Sauter and Carafano (2012) states, “Small business owners often believe that if disaster strikes they’ll be back in operation after two or three days. But experience shows that’s unlikely” (p. 431). The destruction of the Twin Towers carried out by Islamist extremists caused major disruption to the economy, caused mass causalities, inflict psychological fear to society, and destroyed countless large and small businesses in the lower Manhattan area of New
2) Maintain critical infrastructure centers (telegraph, bridges, hospitals) that provide a situational awareness capability, actionable information about emerging trends, imminent threats, and the status of any incidents that involve
Terrorism – This is a word that many people are terrified of. When a terrorist attack occurs, people’s daily routines are shattered. Things change instantaneously the moment the bomb goes of. When we think about a terrorist attack that really impacted the world, we immediately think about 9/11. On that day many people were hurt directly and indirectly. People were disorientated and scared. The moment there is change, the world panics. Unfortunately, 9/11 was not the only day where people panicked. On 1988, the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 occurred. This terrorist attack was not as massive as 9/11; but, it did leave scares especially to the Syracuse University community.
Being the oldest daughter of a Senior ATF Agent, I have been exposed to domestic terrorism all of my life. My father has investigated thousands of bombings, fires, and explosions for more than twenty years now. Many of these incidents were examples of the terrorism that I speak about. His experiences have taught me countless lessons and informed me of many current events. The information that I have obtained from him is far more valuable than anything that the media could ever possibly convey. Though he is always strictly guarded with the confidences of his profession, he has always provided me with a firsthand knowledge of the impact that domestic terrorism has on the citizens and law enforcement. Through him, I learn the facts of these incidents without the media’s exaggerations. Today I will share with you some of these facts. I will talk to you about the impact that domestic terrorism has on our citizens. These impacts include: the monetary damages that terrorism inflicts, along with the injuries to the victims, the shocking repercussions that are embedded into the minds and souls of the people who come to sort through the rubble to find the survivors and the remaining evidence.
There is a lot of complexity in understanding risk management and its correlation to homeland security. Risk management is a way to approach the fact that securing the homeland is not certain and there are unknown variables in every aspect of life; risk management is a way to narrow down the focus based on quantifiable information determining probability against capability. Risk management plays and integral role in homeland security. Risk management is employed using a formula described in the NIPP for establishing a narrow scope to make the best decision about protecting infrastructure. The risk management formula lays down the foundation to make the most reasonable determination based on the potential consequences, vulnerability, and
Terrorism, random acts of violence, politically motivated attacks, and their psychological and societal consequences are nothing new; yet still, the effects are profoundly disturbing. Attacks undermine our presumptions about the safety of engaging in public life; a presumption that is vital for individuals, society, and the economy to carry on smoothly. The terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001 have personally affected my life and has had consequences for many other individuals, the United States, and the world. In the essay, “Heading into darkness once again”, Richard Rodriguez postulates that the randomness and anonymity of terrorism is its most frightening aspect. While I do not disagree that these are integral aspects of what makes
Provides a review of homeland security in 2008 from the members of the Naval postgraduate schools homeland security network. A survey was administered among the network in regards to what they considered the most important homeland security issue of the year and what issues they believe will be of most importance in the near future.
With recent events in the United States like the shooting in San Bernardino, California involving Muslims, we can start to understand why Donald Trump put the ban on Muslims entering the United States. However, terrorism never used to be that big of an issue until the events of 9/11 happened. Since this event occurred, the United States has tightened down in places like the airports and schools, but just because these places may be safer it has not stopped numerous individuals. Some Americans may think that most terrorist attacks that take place in the United States are done mostly by Muslims because of all the media coverage they receive, but this is not the case. Erin Kearns and her colleagues found that only 11 out of 89 attacks that took
However, some sources say that the DHS lead National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) falls well short because of not listening and not sharing information with critical infrastructure owner/operators. The NIPP document created by the DHS is for the government and is not a plan to improve resilience. The document is said to lack private sector information and most feel that the meetings with the government about the document were not heard. As for the information sharing part of the document there are shortcomings that do not enhance national level situational awareness. However, there are seven topics raised in the new document after its original creation four years ago. The first is to elevate security and resilience as the primary aim of CIP efforts. Second, expanding and updating critical infrastructure risk management. Third, focus on national priorities jointly determined by public and private sector. Fourth, integrate cyber and physical security. Fifth, affirm the reality that critical infrastructure security and resilience require international collaboration. Sixth, show continued progress to support execution of the plan at both national and community levels. Lastly, present a detailed Call to Action that includes steps the federal government will undertake to work with partners to make progress toward security and
Terrorism is a threat that plagues our world every day. People are constantly warning travelers to beware of the threats of other nations, but terrorism and violence do not exclusively happen in only a few countries. Unfortunately, violence can be found all around the world. In “Thinking Rationally About Terror,” Lawrence Krauss reports his own experience of dealing with the reality of terrorism in the San Bernardino shooting. I have had a similar experience to Krauss’s when I took an educational trip to France this summer. We were both shaken at the realization that there are people in the world who aim to hurt others, but at the same time we cannot let the radicals achieve their goal of scaring the world.
When it comes to protecting an infrastructure, careful planning and coordination needs to take place. Protecting an infrastructure takes an important security initiative called Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP). The United States critical infrastructure is protected by the Department of Homeland Security.
The recent horrific attacks on France highlighted one of the number one threats to Homeland Security, which is the evolving terrorist. The Evolving terrorist threat is of major concern since 9/11 because “its demonstrated and continued interest in advancing plots to attack the United States” (). A major concern in this area for the United States is the propaganda that is used to motivate individuals who have not participated in terrorist activities or traveled to conflict zones, teaching and training them to plot and carry out attacks on civilian populations. Another huge concern to Homeland security is the threat to our cyber-physical infrastructure. “A vast array of interdependent information technology network, systems, services, and resources enable communication, facilitate travel, power our homes, run our economy and provide essential government services” (). The everyday citizen is so reliant on technology and everything in our country is so interconnected that if the cyber-physical infrastructure would to be compromised it would create a devastating chain reaction across the country. The third concern for Homeland Security is the threat of a pandemic. Even though it is noted as being a very low probability, the impact of it happening even once would be very high impact. “Increasing global
It was a beautiful day in New York and people were going about their day as usual. The streets were full of people rushing to work with their morning coffee in their hand and cabs constantly honking at slow pedestrians. Everything was peaceful until one of the Twin Towers began to collapse. The events on September 11, 2001 shook the country off its feet and put fear in American citizens’ hearts.
3. The NIPP should be concise and brief, yet still explain the national strategy for critical infrastructure security and resilience as well as transfer knowledge to state and community leaders for establishing their critical infrastructure security and resilience
In other words, cyber-terrorists use the net to cause real world harm to a noncombatant target in order to advance an individual’s or an organization’s religious and/or political goals. Although, the threat of cyberterrorism had yet to become an immediate danger to the general population, it does possess the potential to shut down an entire country. The reason cyber terrorism has become so dangerous to the general community and to government agencies is the ability cyber-terrorists have to shut down all of the major systems that people depend on, including the water system and the banking system (Harris,
The nation has become dependent on technology, furthermore, cyberspace. It’s encompassed in everything we deliver in our daily lives, our phones, internet, communication, purchases, entertainment, flying airplane, launching missiles, operating nuclear plants, and implicitly, our protection. The more ever-growing technology empower Americans, the more they become prey to cyber threats. The United States Executive Office of the President stated, “The President identified cybersecurity as one of the top priorities of his administration in doing so, directed a 60-day review to assess polices.” (United States Executive Office of the President, 2009, p.2). Furthermore, critical infrastructure, our network, and internet alike are identified as national assets upon which the administration will orchestrate integrated cybersecurity policies without infringing upon and protecting privacy. While protecting our infrastructure, personal privacy, and civil liberties, we have to keep in mind the private sector owns and operates the majority of our critical and digital infrastructure.