Question 1
The Department of Homeland Security (2014) presents the following definition of critical infrastructure:
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.
Sixteen sectors are described in Presidential Policy Directive 21: Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience.
These sectors include the chemical, industry, communications, commercial facilities, critical manufacturing industries, dams, the defense industrial base, emergency services, energy, financial services, food and agriculture, government, healthcare and public health, information technology, nuclear energy, transportation, and water and wastewater treatment.
Select one sector to study and report to the class the impact of Hurricane Harvey (and/or Irma) on that sector.
What sector did you select to study?
What role is the government playing in the process of response and/or recovery for infrastructure protection?
Illustrate your answer with examples.
Review the following:
Read Chapter 7 of Oliver to frame your understanding.
Presidential Policy Directive (PPD 21) on Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience.
Department of Homeland Security (2014),What is Critical Infrastructure?
Question 2
Cybersecurity has emerged as a critical infrastructure protection measure to protect against hackers whose intent is to exploit weaknesses in computers connected via the internet as well as using the internet to promote extremist ideology.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2012) reported on the use of the Internet for such purposes including terrorism intent. This is a significant international problem that calls for cooperation and coordination of laws and counter-terrorism efforts.
Read the Background and Chapter 1 (pages 1 through 14) of the UN report and in a 250 word essay, provide respond to the following questions.
What are the major ways in which terrorists use the Internet?
How can the Internet be used for counter-terrorism?
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
There is a fundamental tension between the right to freedom of speech and the use of the Internet to incite acts of violence. Should incitement to terrorism be regarded as free speech or should it be illegal? Justify your answer. Use APA Style for referencing source materials (include in-text citations and reference list).
Reading
Oliver, W.M., Marion, N.E., & Hill, J.B. (2015). Introduction to Homeland Security. MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. See Chapter 14.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2012). The use of the Internet for terrorist purposes.
Question 3
A recent survey of healthcare facility Chief Information Officers and Chief Operations Officers revealed that 81 percent of those survey, reported a Ransom-ware attack on facility computer systems. In 2016, over sixteen attacks on hospitals systems were compromised as a result of ransom threats in exchange for bitcoins.
If hospitals did not pay ransom, then not only electronic health records (EHR) would be lost, but equally, administrative, operational and other electronic systems. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) estimated that the cost to the U.S. economy as a result of ransom ware was over one billion dollars. Â The assignment is to conduct a case study of a hospital that was attacked by ransom ware and discuss how the healthcare facility restored operations and concluded the attack.
Read relevant Chapters in Oliver and in a 250 word essay, provide respond to the following questions. Cite your references in proper American Psychological Association format.
Identify a hospital that was attacked by Ransom ware. Provide a brief overview of the hospital, its size, location and the results of the cyberattack to its operations.
Why was the attack successful or unsuccessful?
What steps has the hospital taken? Or, if it has yet to conclude, offer insights into what healthcare facilities, as well as individuals, can do to do to either prevent ransom ware attacks.
Reading
Oliver, W.M., Marion, N.E., & Hill, J.B. (2015). Introduction to Homeland Security. MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. See Chapter 7 and 14.
Question 4
Hurricane Sandy revealed the vulnerability of the northeast rail system to natural hazards while terrorists struck public rail systems throughout Europe.
Three significant terrorist attacks involved well-planned and coordinated bombings of commuter trains: the Madrid, Spain rail attacks in March 2004, the London, England subway and bus bombings in July 2005, and the Mumbai, India train bombings in July 2006. As a result, the United States has taken extraordinary measures to secure the U.S. environmental domains of air, land and sea (Oliver, et. at. 2015, p 290) as well as other critical sectors.
Familiarize yourself with Presidential Policy Directive - 21 (PPD - 21), that serves as the basis for sector critical infrastructure protection by visiting The White House and Department of Homeland Security . Select a sector for a 500-word case study.
Select a critical infrastructure and key resource (CIKR) sector for your case study. Include a brief overview of the sector, stakeholders, and its components.
Describe the threat to your selected CIKR.
Describe the potential Impact if the CIKR suffers from a successful attack. Use an example of a successful attack to member or asset of this sector to illustrate the critical nature of this sector.
Conclude with those measures that are being instituted to protect the CIKR sector.
Cite your references using American Psychological Association (APA) format (in-text citations and reference list in APA Style).
Reading
Oliver, W.M., Marion, N.E., & Hill, J.B. (2015). Introduction to Homeland Security. MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. See Chapter 7.
Office of the Press Secretary, (February 2013). "Presidential Policy Directive: Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience," The White House.
Department of Homeland Security (May 25, 2017). "Critical Infrastructure Protection."
Supplemental Sector Sources
Center for Infrastructure Protection & Homeland Security (July 2017). "Optimizing Mass Transit Transportation Resilience: Model, Implementation and Policy Directions."
U.S. Fire Administration, (n.d.). "Critical Infrastructure Protection."