Securing Critical Information Infrastructure: Global Perspectives and Practices

Munish Sharma

Monograph No. 60

B

asic services such as electricity, transportation, mobile communication and banking are the core infrastructures on which modern societies and economies rest. The seamless functioning of these critical infrastructures is essential for the social and economic development and well-being of a nation-state. Recent developments in the cyber domain have unearthed a whole new dimension of security attributing to underlying vulnerabilities and interdependencies. The exploitation of these vulnerabilities in the different layers of cyber architecture, serve different objectives of nation-states, terror outfits and criminal syndicates. Despite the best of technology, management as well as security policies and practices at a nation-state's disposal, it is practically impossible to secure all critical elements of infrastructure against all odds. This monograph delves into the various aspects of definitions and understandings of critical information infrastructure and explores the threat actors, perspectives and trends in the emerging practice of critical information infrastructure protection.