In your own words, construct an overview of the critical infrastructure sector you choose for this discussion based on the ones that we are reading about this week.

Part 2. Examine at least three of the following:

Unique aspects as they relate to national security
Risks/threats/hazards/vulnerabilities related to national security
Potential countermeasures/mitigations related to the continuity of operations
Minimizing disruption and improving first responder safety
Cross-sector dependencies/interdependencies
Part 3. Give your opinion on how either a physical attack, a cyber event, or a natural disaster could impact critical infrastructure (just discuss one of these, not all three).

Response #1 (Tara): Hello, professor and class; welcome to week four. It is hard to believe we are halfway through! This week I chose to discuss the Transportation Sector.

There are 16 critical infrastructure sectors whose assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof. The transportation systems sector is one of those 16. The Transportation Systems Sector consists of seven key subsectors or modes: aviation, maritime transportation, highway and motor carriers, mass transit and passenger rail, pipeline systems, freight rail, and postal and shipping. They all include the transportation of goods and people. In terms of national security, the nation’s security, well-being, and future can come down simply to transportation.

Moreover, the transportation field has some interesting (and by interesting, scary, or evil) elements or specifics. First, many transportation systems are interdependent and rely on each other. This means that many other systems are harmed if one system fails or is destroyed. This is what is called a cascading effect. Moreover, the cascading effect can significantly damage how transportation systems function or even how people can function.

The sector faces various risks, threats, hazards, and vulnerabilities, from cyber threats to natural disasters. For example, a major threat is the potential for cyber-attacks on air traffic control systems (McGraw, 2018). Potential countermeasures and mitigations include sound cybersecurity measures and improved emergency response plans (National, 2017).

It is operationally critical for transportation systems to be resilient in the face of an incident or attack. By having redundancy, you may minimize the impact of the said incident on the necessary infrastructure and strategic planning for a quick recovery. A physical attack on the transportation system could result in extensive economic impact, as supply chains are disrupted, and long-term impacts on national security because it could essentially weaken the country.