Sam Houston State University - Institute For Homeland Security’s Post

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a critical gap in traditional vulnerability assessments: the failure to fully account for cascading impacts within interconnected systems. The Sam Houston State University - Institute For Homeland Security report effectively sheds light on this often-overlooked concept, bringing attention to its relevance in today’s complex operational landscape. The example of a winter storm hitting the #EnergySector really brings the point home. At GardaWorld we have embraced the philosophy of #ControllingTheControllable to strengthen our resilience and safeguard operations as starting point. By proactively addressing elements within our control, we mitigate risks and reduce the likelihood of far-reaching disruptions.

Did you know the SHSU Institute for Homeland Security hosts technical paper series on our website, ihsonline.org? The non-partisan series features papers with various viewpoints and examines critical and timely issues facing homeland security. In today’s “Research Spotlight,” we feature “Resilience to High Consequence Cascading Failures of Critical Infrastructure Networks," by Arthur Mouco, Benjamin L. Ruddell and Susan Ginsburg. Critical infrastructure networks such as telecommunications, power, water, natural gas, diesel, transportation, and cyber networks are interdependent with one another, forming a vast and dauntingly complex web of institutions and physical systems that must be engineered and secured for reliability. No single utility operator, engineering consultant, emergency management organization, financial institution, or local, regional or other government entity is capable of understanding, monitoring, or managing the whole system. Yet, failures are unavoidable, and when those failures cascade through the network the result may be high-consequence cascading “catastrophes” or Black Swan events. In one recent and tragic example, the February 13–17, 2021 Winter Storm Uri in Texas initiated a failure in the natural gas production system that cascaded first to the natural gas power generation system and then to the wider ERCOT power system, the water distribution system, and the petrochemical industry of Texas. No single system operator was responsible, and yet the consequences – including fatalities, recovery challenges, regulatory attention, and extreme costs – are everyone’s problem. As networked interdependencies grow, the likelihood of cascading failures has increased accordingly, necessitating technical solutions tailored to this problem. This report introduces the basic principles of interdependent critical infrastructure networks and reviews approaches for analyzing and mitigating the vulnerability of the network to make it resilient. Resilience and reliability in critical infrastructures are complementary and orthogonal. In resilient networks, the inevitable failures due to “all hazards” stay small and don’t become catastrophes. Mouco, A. & Ruddell, B. L., Ginsburg, S. (2023) Resilience to High Consequence Cascading Failures of Critical Infrastructure Networks. (Report No. IHS/CR-2023-1015). The Sam Houston State University Institute for Homeland Security. Click here to read the paper in its entirety: https://lnkd.in/dVqgWHrJ Every Tuesday and Thursday, we’ll spotlight a different research paper from our library. Click the link to visit the SHSU IHS research page. https://lnkd.in/gGtZFrX9 #shsuIHS #IHSResearchSpotlight #CriticalInfrastructure #Resilience #NetworkSecurity #EmergencyManagement #CyberSecurity #InfrastructureResilience

New memorandum on Critical Infrastructure protection comes with a new focus. Critical infrastructure comprises the physical and virtual assets and systems so vital to the Nation that their incapacity or destruction would have a debilitating impact on national security, national economic security, or national public health or safety. It is diverse and complex, and includes distributed networks, varied organizational structures, operating models, interdependent systems, and governance constructs.

🚨 Recent events such as undersea cable failures in Africa and disruptions in the Red Sea, highlight the vulnerability of terrestrial communication #networks and prompt increased reliance on satellite services for business continuity. Euroconsult Managing Consultant, Dimitri Buchs gives insights in the latest article from Kratos Defense and Security Solutions. He discusses the potential impacts on the satellite #market and how smaller companies can adopt satellite backup solutions. With advancements in satellite technology, availability and affordability will improve, providing a viable solution. 👉 Learn more about how satellite communication plays a vital role in ensuring resilient #connectivity amidst infrastructure challenges: https://lnkd.in/exMjPePd

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 6, 2024                                                                   Contact: Rob Hartwell 571-212-2129 https://fir.foundation/     New Foundation Announced Today to Protect America’s Critical Infrastructure   A new Foundation was announced today by its first President Stephen Volandt, chartered to “help ensure the continuity of the United States by facilitating sustainable communities and resilient critical infrastructures, fortified against threats and meeting the needs of the 21st century”, a quote from the organization’s mission statement. The Foundation for Infrastructure Resilience (FIR) “seeks to educate the public and our policymakers about the critical need to protect our fragile grid, supply chain and other critical infrastructures essential to our way of life,” said Volandt.      FIR’s initial membership consists of approximately 100 scientists, security professionals, academics and business leaders dedicated to protecting America’s 16 critical infrastructures identified by the Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21). Foremost among these are the electric power grid, our water supply and distribution, our food supply and our health care systems. “So many Americans are not aware of the fragility of our systems they live by every day,” said FIR President Steve Volandt.“ As we saw during the pandemic, our supply chain broke down and huge shortages occurred. Just imagine what would happen without water, or power or mobility.  An attack on our grid or even a strong solar storm could be devastating to our society as a whole, and shockingly, we are unprepared” said Volandt.   FIR’s leadership and membership include Chief of Staff, Maj Gen (ret) Luke Reiner, former Adjutant General of the Wyoming National Guard, Rob Hartwell, a former Congressional Chief of Staff, Ambassador Hank Cooper, Director of President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative and Dr. George Baker a Member of the Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Commission.  “Two EMP Commission reports, and a Presidential Executive Order by President Trump in 2019, upheld by the Biden Administration, lays the groundwork for this next Congress and Administration to act,” said Public Policy VP Rob Hartwell. “The time for study, and Commissions and reports is over.  This issue is too important to sit on the back burner any longer. The new Congress and Administration must act!”   (30) Rob Hartwell Vice President for Public Policy Foundation for Infrastructure Resilience 571-212-2129

⁉ Did you know that the U.S. recognizes 16 different sectors as critical infrastructure? Yet, surprisingly, the Space sector—despite supporting essential services like GPS, PNT, and satellite communications—is not officially one of them. So, what exactly is needed for a sector to qualify as "critical"? Is there a difference between how the U.S. and E.U. designate critical infrastructure? And does Space deserve that designation?   In our newly published paper in Acta Astronautica, the official journal of the International Academy of Astronautics, my colleagues Rian Davis, Unal Tatar, and I explore these questions by developing a robust framework for identifying and designating critical infrastructure. We thoroughly analyzed laws, regulations, and policies from both U.S. and E.U. legal frameworks, uncovering key distinctions and commonalities between the two approaches. Our five-criteria framework offers a deeper understanding of what it truly means to be "critical infrastructure." This paper is a follow-up study to our VICEROY Scholars research project and we thank them for their support.   Check out our paper for an in-depth analysis of the criticality of space infrastructure based on the framework we propose. 🚀   #space #cybersecurity #CriticalInfrastructure #satellitesecurity   https://lnkd.in/g_7tKpPf

The latest issue of Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience News has arrived Download your copy now at https://lnkd.in/eRe2-bnB Please find here your downloadable copy of the Summer 2024 issue of Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience News, the official magazine of the International Association of CIP Professionals (IACIPP), for the latest views, features and news, including a Preview of the upcoming Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience Europe conference, Part of CIP Week in Europe in Madrid, Spain. Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience News in this issue: - CrowdStrike Outage: A Faulty Update Causes Worldwide Problems  - Perspective: Artificial Intelligence  - As cyberattacks increase, physical security should remain a top priority - Solving the Puzzle of Protection - Fortifying the frontline – why Zero Trust is key to national security  - Solar storms: Are we ready for another Carrington Event?   - The Secure SatCom Hub for All-Missions  - UN cybersecurity report assesses global progress in providing a safe and secure digital future for all  - An Interview with E.DSO - Protecting electric grid health with drone-based power line inspection  - CIP Week in Europe, CIPRE and EU-CIP Preview  - Agency News  - Industry News Download your copy at https://lnkd.in/eRe2-bnB

The latest issue of Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience News has arrived Download your copy now at https://lnkd.in/eRe2-bnB Please find here your downloadable copy of the Summer 2024 issue of Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience News, the official magazine of the International Association of CIP Professionals (IACIPP), for the latest views, features and news, including a Preview of the upcoming Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience Europe conference, Part of CIP Week in Europe in Madrid, Spain. Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience News in this issue: - CrowdStrike Outage: A Faulty Update Causes Worldwide Problems  - Perspective: Artificial Intelligence  - As cyberattacks increase, physical security should remain a top priority - Solving the Puzzle of Protection - Fortifying the frontline – why Zero Trust is key to national security  - Solar storms: Are we ready for another Carrington Event?   - The Secure SatCom Hub for All-Missions  - UN cybersecurity report assesses global progress in providing a safe and secure digital future for all  - An Interview with E.DSO - Protecting electric grid health with drone-based power line inspection  - CIP Week in Europe, CIPRE and EU-CIP Preview  - Agency News  - Industry News Download your copy at https://lnkd.in/eRe2-bnB

This CRS Report outlines several key observations and lessons derived from the Russian campaign against Ukrainian electricity infrastructure, which could be applicable to our own critical infrastructure protection efforts in the US. Some of the key observations: -The attacks focused on transmission facilities, substations, and large power transformers, with the goal of destabilizing major grid sections and hindering electricity transfer between Ukraine and Europe. -Ukrainian grid operators' familiarity with Russian tactics, vigilant cyber hygiene, and the use of manual override controls were crucial. Technical assistance from the U.S. and other countries also played a significant role in grid resilience. -Pre-war investments in transmission system modernization, stockpiling of spare equipment, and scenario modeling helped increase resilience. Wartime improvisation, such as using Starlink stations to fill communication gaps, was also vital. -Physical attacks had a more significant impact than cyberattacks, bringing the Ukrainian grid close to collapse with rolling blackouts becoming common. However, the grid did not entirely collapse due to robust pre-invasion preparations and international support. -Pre-existing issues such as low energy efficiency, governance challenges, and market structure inefficiencies were highlighted but not fully resolved. Emergency measures and international aid partially mitigated these problems. Lessons for the U.S.: Preparedness: The U.S. needs to consider long-term, sustained threats and the importance of maintaining critical infrastructure under persistent attack. Stockpiling and Modernization: Stockpiling of essential equipment and continuous modernization of grid infrastructure are crucial. Cybersecurity and Physical Security: Enhanced cybersecurity measures and physical protection of critical assets are necessary. Comprehensive Scenario Modeling: Emergency planning should include scenarios where the grid operates from a degraded state and considers the complex interdependencies among society, governance, and infrastructure. The report suggests potential congressional actions such as instituting stockpiling programs, creating industrial production incentives, establishing supply chain security requirements, and supporting the development of consensus resilience metrics.

The missed opportunities in White House’s critical infrastructure directive: The rewrite of PPD-21 is a good start, but still relies on Congress to get through the biggest hurdles, experts say. The post The missed opportunities in White House’s critical infrastructure directive appeared first on CyberScoop.