Tag Archive for Infrastructure

DHS Says Aging Infrastructure Poses Significant Risk to U.S.

A recent version of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Risk Profile found that old and deteriorating infrastructure in the U.S. could pose significant risks to the nation and its economy. According to the report, insufficient funding of inspection and maintenance of critical infrastructure throughout the U.S. could create wide-ranging problems as the nation’s infrastructure continues to age. Along with pandemics and nuclear terrorism, a draft version of the DHS National Risk Profile for 2011 lists “aging infrastructure” as having a “potentially significant impact” on the nation’s critical infrastructure. The assessment states that “unusable, ineffectual, and deteriorating critical infrastructure, as well as the potential for exploitation of these vulnerabilities, increase risk . . . due to the inadvertent introduction of flaws, reduced inspection and maintenance workforce, and insufficient investment.” Moreover, this is not a limited threat, as the assessment states that the “entire United States is at risk from aging infrastructure that will eventually “affect all critical infrastructure sectors and ultimately reduce or erode their capacity and lifetimes in unexpected and unpredicted ways.”

(U//FOUO) DoE-DHS Energy Sector Critical Infrastructure Protection Plan

In its role as Energy SSA, DOE has worked closely with dozens of government and industry security partners to prepare this 2007 Energy SSP. Much of that work was conducted through the Sector Coordinating Councils (SCC) for electricity and for oil and natural gas, as well as through the Energy Government Coordinating Council (GCC). The electricity SCC represents more than 95 percent of the electric industry and the oil and natural gas SCC represents more than 98 percent of its industry. The GCC, co—chaired by DHS and DOE, represents all levels of government—Federal, State, local, and tribal-that are concerned with the Energy Sector.

(U//FOUO) DHS Independence Day 2010 Awareness Note

(U//FOUO) The Homeland Infrastructure Threat and Risk Analysis Center (HITRAC) produces Infrastructure Protection Notes to provide information on risks impacting the critical infrastructure community including terrorist threats, natural hazards, and other events. This IP Note is a joint publication of the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) Homeland Counterterrorism Division and the Office of Infrastructure Protection (IP), and is designed to
promote security awareness and to identify actions that the critical infrastructure community can take to mitigate risks to the Nation’s critical infrastructure. As an update to the 26 May 2010 IP Note: Preparing for an Evolving Terrorist Threat, this IP Note serves as a reminder for the critical infrastructure community to remain vigilant during the 4 July 2010 Independence Day holiday.

(U//FOUO) U.S. Army SWEAT/Infrastructure Reconnaissance Book

Similar to the Red Book and Sand Book, the SWEAT Book is the Soldier’s reference for Infrastructure Reconnaissance. While the Red and Sand Books focus on different regions, the SWEAT Book focuses on the subject regardless of the part of the world the Soldier may be located. The SWEAT Book is the continuation of the hard work of many organizations to include the National Training Center (the Sidewinders), countless MTOE units, the U.S. Army Engineer School, the Engineer Research and Development Center – (CERL), the U.S. Military Academy, etc. The efforts of all those involved has led to the continued progress towards solving this gap in our capabilities. Future work to be expected includes continued feedback from units supporting missions in OEF/OIF, and U.S.M.A.’s research on an infrastructure assessment methodology. The SWEAT Book will be updated accordingly.

DHS Food and Agriculture Sector Infrastructure Protection

Food and Agriculture Security Partners

DHS coordinatesthe overall national effort to enhance CIKR protection and resiliency through the implementation of the NIPP; With guidanceprovided by Homeland Security, these agencies shall collaborate with all relevant partners to prevent, deter, and mitigate deliberate efforts to destroy, incapacitate, or exploit the food and agriculture sector

* Government Coordinating Council (GCC) –the council which provides effective coordination of agricultural security and food defense strategies and activities, policy, and communication across government and between the government and the private sector to support the nation’s homeland security mission

–Sector Specific Agency (SSA) –the designated sector specific agencies for food and agriculture are the USDA and DHHS (FDA)
–21 Food & Agriculture GCC members

* Sector Coordinating Council (SCC) –created by private industry to serve the sector’s counterterrorism and security interests; represents the scope,breadth, depth, and interdependence of the U.S. Food and Agriculture Sector (i.e., owners, operators, associations)

Louisiana InfraGard Program Brief

InfraGard is a partnership between the FBI and the public and private industry.

Includes business executives, entrepreneurs, military Includes and government officials, computer professionals, academia, state and local law enforcement and concerned citizens. It encourages sharing information between the government and the private sector for the purpose of protecting the national critical infrastructure.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Defense Critical Infrastructure Program (DCIP)

DCIP

• Defense Infrastructure Sector

A virtual association within the DCIP that traverses normal organizational boundaries, encompasses defense networks, assets, and associated dependencies that perform similar functions within DoD, and are essential to the execution of the National Defense Strategy.

• PW Defense Infrastructure Sector

The DoD, government, and private sector worldwide network, including the real property inventories (environment, land, buildings and utilities) that manages the support, generation, production and transport of commodities (e.g., electric power, oil and natural gas, water and sewer, emergency services, etc.) for and to DoD users.

DHS Cyber Threat to the U.S.

Cyber Threat Branch Responsibilities

• Execute the responsibilities created by the Homeland Security Act of 2002:
– Access, receive, and analyze law enforcement, intelligence, and other information from federal, state, and local agencies and private sector entities to:
• Identify and assess the nature and scope of terrorist threats
• Detect and identify threats to the United States
• Understand threats in light of actual and potential vulnerabilities
– Carry out comprehensive assessments to determine the risk posed by terrorist attacks
• Outreach plays a critical role in the mission
– The CTB provides threat briefings and teleconferences to:
• Sector Coordinating Councils
• Government Coordinating Councils
• Key industry associations

Infrastructure Protection Report: Stadiums and Arenas

There are more than 1,300 stadiums and arenas in the United States. They are located in every region and state; in most, if not all, major municipalities; in many smaller localities; and often on university and high school campuses. Arenas and stadiums range in size from on-campus field houses and high school football stadiums that can accommodate a few hundred people to downtown sports arenas, large indoor/outdoor stadiums, and automobile racetracks that can accommodate over 100,000 spectators.

Infrastructure Protection Report: Mail and Package Handling Facilities

The Postal and Shipping Sector receives, processes, transports, and distributes billions of letters and parcels annually. It consists of both private and public components. The Postal and Shipping Sector is mainly composed of four large integrated carriers. These carriers, operating 93% of the sector’s assets, systems, networks, and functions, are the United States Postal Service (USPS), United Parcel Service of America, Inc. (UPS), Federal Express (FedEx), and DHL International (DHL).