CIS 502 Critical Infrastructure Protection

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Due Week 6 and worth 50 points

Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) is an important cybersecurity initiative that requires careful planning and coordination in protecting our infrastructure. 

The following documents titled, “National Infrastructure Protection Plan”, and “Critical Infrastructure Protection”, may be used to complete the assignment.

    

Write a three to five (3-5) page paper in which you:

1.    Examine the Department of Homeland Security’s : a.    mission

b.    operations

c.    responsibilities

2.    Explain what Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) initiatives are, what are protected, and the methods used to protect our assets. 

3.    Describe the vulnerabilities IS professionals need to be concerned with when protecting the U.S.’s critical infrastructure.

4.    Evaluate the effectiveness of IS professionals in regard to protecting the U.S.’s critical infrastructure.

5.    Suggest three (3) methods to improve the protection of our critical infrastructure and justify each suggestion.

6.    Use at least three (3) quality resources outside of the suggested resources in this

assignment.  Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources. 

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on

all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: 

Evaluate potential situations of business interruption and the planning necessary to mitigate the threats involved.

Analyze the methods of managing, controlling, and mitigating security risks and vulnerabilities.

Compare and contrast business continuity and disaster recovery planning. Use technology and information resources to research issues in security management. Write clearly and concisely about the theories of security management using proper writing

mechanics and technical style conventions.

Critical Infrastructure Plan

Gretchen Greene

Dr. Syed Raza

February 15, 2016

Interpret the Department of Homeland Security’s mission, operations and responsibilities

The Department of Homeland Security has five missions. First, they protect the

American people from terrorist threats as their number one priority. Their counterterrorism goals

are to prevent terrorist attacks, prevent the use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear

materials from within the US, and reduce the vulnerability of resources and major events to

terrorist attacks. Second, they secure the nation’s borders to prevent illegal activity. Third, the

Department of Homeland Security enforces our immigration laws. Fourth, they lead the

government in securing cyberspace and reducing cyber threats. Fifth, Homeland Security

responds with plans, grants, and training to new security and law enforcement officers. They

also respond with information in the event of a terrorist attack or natural disaster.

Detail the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP)

The Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) initiatives are to work to improve

interoperability across communities in the event of human or natural disaster. The CIP is used to

plan, detect, respond to, prevent, and recover from any natural and human disaster. CIP works

with the federal government, state government, local government, commercial and private

sectors to resolve the threat. Information regarding incidents can be shared in the CIKR system

Automated Critical Asset Management System (ACAMS). This system creates an inventory of

assets along with shares the information across state and local sectors.

NIPP VS NIST

There are significant differences between the Critical Infrastructure Protection plans from

NIST and NIPP. NIPP’s CIP is much more detailed regarding how threats are handled and how

assets are protected. It defines how to assess risks and the consequences when risks occur. It

also defines what agencies and sectors are involved. NIST’s CIP main concern was about

addressing authentication and the framework. NIST was concerned with password requirements

for individuals and the authentication of automated devices. It was more focused on the

infrastructure training and management. It did not define a plan of action if a risk occurred or the

agencies involved. It ensured the personnel for the cybersecurity workforce for data analysis and

privacy standards.

Vulnerabilities IS professionals who protect the U.S.’s critical infrastructure

The Department of Homeland Security has not consistently collected information on the

vulnerabilities to have an accurate measure of where there are risks and hazards. The guidelines

for tracking vulnerabilities are written in the NIPP CIP, but it has not been followed consistently.

There is not a standard across the tools used for collecting data from all of the different agencies.

IS professionals should be prepared for the need to organize the data that has been collected into

some form that can be integrated together.

Suggest three (3) methods to improve the protection of the U.S.’s critical infrastructure

The Department of Homeland Security needs to design one system for tracking

vulnerabilities for all agencies to use in the public and private sector. It is extremely important to

consistently collect data on vulnerabilities to know when an attack is happening. It also shares

the information with all departments and agencies. This would integrate all the information into

one location that can be used to track when an attack is happening.

Homeland Security needs to create a department to handle the assessment information

and sharing that information with other agencies. One does not exist right now and they rely on

their field agents to get the information to the agencies. Many times Homeland Security is

requested to be at meetings to share information from the assessments and because they have no

way of sharing the information they are not there. The other participants then have no idea

whether the information has been shared with Homeland Security or not.

The Department of Homeland Security needs to create a department to maintain the

sixteen infrastructure sectors are following the NIPP CIP. Only three of the sixteen sectors have

made any progress towards the goals set in the CIP. The other thirteen sectors have yet to begin

to set metrics for the goals set in the CIP. Many have to rely on private sectors to provide the

information to them regarding cyber risks and vulnerabilities. Having a specific department to

only work on following up with these sectors will help motivate these sectors to work with the

private sectors to obtain the needed information.

Conclusion

The Department of Homeland Security had a good plan in place that was also updated in

2013 after Hurricane Sandy showed many flaws in the original plan. With some new

departments and some organization to data collected on a regular basis, vulnerabilities can be

identified more quickly to stop attacks. Cyber risks and natural disasters are always going to be

present but now is the time to get the plan in working order before it is needed in a disaster.

References

Critical Infrastructure Protection: DHS Action Needed to Enhance Integration and Coordination of Vulnerability Assessment Efforts [Reissued on September 17, 2014]. (2014, September 17). Retrieved February 14, 2016, from http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-14-507

Homeland Security. (2015, July 16). Retrieved February 14, 2016, from http://www.dhs.gov/our-mission

National Infrastruction Protection Plan. (2009). Retrieved February 14, 2016, from https://blackboard.strayer.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/CIS/502/1144/Week6/NIPP_Plan.pdf

NIST Roadmap for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity. (2014, February 12). Retrieved February 14, 2016, from https://blackboard.strayer.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/CIS/502/1144/Week6/roadmap-021214.pdf

Wilshusen, G. C. (2015, November 19). CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION Sector-Specific Agencies Need to Better Measure Cybersecurity Progress. Retrieved February 14, 2016, from http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/673779.pdf