Critical infrastructure may sound as though it's referring to physical assets (e.g., electrical systems, etc.) but the truth is that it can mean any component that is vital to a property. Whether it's the grounds or the physical structure, protecting your critical infrastructure is non-negotiable. Taking these precautions is not just recommended by the Department of Homeland Security, it's a practical way to protect staff, equipment, and resources alike. So if a hacker wants to take all of your sensitive data and hold it for ransom, you don't have to worry about whether you should pay it. Or if an arsonist decides that your building is the next target, you won't have to wrestle with an insurance company for a check. We'll look at what this protection means for you, and what you can do to improve your critical infrastructure protection strategy today.
Creating Your Critical Infrastructure Protection Plan
A critical infrastructure protection plan starts with identifying your hazards and threats. So maybe you're more likely to be hit by a major storm due to your location or maybe your industry is more attractive to an overseas cybercriminal. Whatever it is, you need to essentially make it more difficult to infiltrate your territory. For instance, target hardening works by making a property more resilient to the elements. A simple example would be installing floodlights so that criminals can't hide in the shadows. A more elaborate example might be hiring more security guards or retrofitting a building to make it earthquake resistant. There's an array of theories about what makes for good protection, but the reality is that it will vary based on the type of property in question. A school will want to protect its infrastructure of course, but not necessarily if it comes at the expense of students feeling like they're in a police state.
Critical Infrastructure Protection Cybersecurity
These days, cybercrime has become a lucrative and relatively foolproof way for criminals to get what they're looking for. Even organizations that are fully compliant often have vulnerabilities that remain undetected until it's too late. Improving your policies starts with looking at your internal procedures, which may mean anything from testing software for bugs to discarding old devices that have been sitting around for months. Threat and vulnerability assessments can go a long way toward giving everyone the data protection they deserve. Often, the only way to do this is to invest time and resources into developing a new strategy. A critical infrastructure protection certificate program is one way to get more training on what to do.
Contact Kontek Industries
The critical infrastructure protection act holds people liable for trespassing or for damaging critical infrastructure. Ideally, though, you wouldn't have to invoke it because you've done your part to keep the wrong people off your property in the first place. Kontek Industries is staffed with professionals who understand just how valuable your critical infrastructure is and what it takes to truly protect it. And while there’s no such thing as total protection, we have real-world experience in how to spot vulnerabilities before determining how to best strengthen your property. Contact us today to learn more about how our services can keep all of your assets under a proverbial umbrella.
