The National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) provides the unifying structure for the integration of critical infrastructures and key resources (CI/KR) protection efforts into a single National program. The NIPP provides an overall framework for integrating programs and activities that are under way in the various sectors, as well as new and developing CI/KR protection efforts. The NIPP includes 17 Sector-Specific Plans (SSPs) that detail the application of the overall risk management framework to each specific sector. The Communications SSP describes a collaborative effort among the private sector, Federal Government, and State governments to protect the Nation's Communications Infrastructure. This collaboration will result in the assessment of risk to the communications architecture and its functions that will help prioritize protection initiatives and investments within the sector and aid the identification of critical assets against specific threats.

Establishing a strategic framework for protecting the Nation's critical communications infrastructure is crucial to ensuring national security. The National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) provides the overarching framework for integrating protective programs and activities that are underway in the various critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) sectors. The NIPP includes 18 Sector-Specific Plans (SSPs) that detail the application of the overall risk management framework for each specific sector. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), National Communications System (NCS) serves as the Sector- Specific Agency for the Communications Sector. Private sector owners and operators have enjoyed a close working relationship with NCS since its inception in 1963.

As Hurricane Katrina so forcefully demonstrated, the nation's critical infrastructures and key resources have been vulnerable to a wide variety of threats. Because about 85 percent of the nation's critical infrastructure is owned by the private sector, it is vital that the public and private sectors work together to protect these assets. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for coordinating a national protection strategy including formation of government and private sector councils as a collaborating tool. The councils, among other things, are to identify their most critical assets, assess the risks they face, and identify protective measures, in sector-specific plans that comply with DHS's National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP). GAO examined (1) the extent to which these councils have been established; (2) the key facilitating factors and challenges affecting the formation of the councils; and (3) the overall status of the plans and key facilitating factors and challenges encountered in developing them. GAO obtained information by reviewing key documents and conducting interviews with federal and private

As Hurricane Katrina so forcefully demonstrated, the nation's critical infrastructures-both physical and cyber-have been vulnerable to a wide variety of threats. Because about 85 percent of the nation's critical infrastructure is privately owned, it is vital that public and private stakeholders work together to protect these assets. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for coordinating a national protection strategy and has promoted the formation of government and private councils for the 17 infrastructure sectors as a collaborating tool. The councils, among other things, are to identify their most critical assets, assess the risks they face, and identify protective measures in sector-specific plans that comply with DHS's National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP). This testimony is based primarily on GAO's July 2007 report on the sector-specific plans and the sector councils. Specifically, it addresses (1) the extent to which the sector-specific plans meet requirements, (2) the council members' views on the value of the plans and DHS's review process, and (3) the key success factors and challenges that the representatives encountered in

Experts agree, though it is already important, nuclear power will soon be critical to the maintenance of contemporary society. With the heightened importance of nuclear energy comes a heightened threat of terrorism. The possibility of nuclear energy infrastructure terrorism-that is, the use of weapons to cause damage to the nuclear energy industrial sector, which would have widespread, devastating effects-is very real. In Nuclear Infrastructure Protection and Homeland Security, authors Frank R. Spellman and Melissa L. Stoudt present all the information needed for nuclear infrastructure employers and employees to handle security threats they must be prepared to meet. The book focuses on three interrelated nuclear energy infrastructure segments: nuclear reactors, radioactive materials, and nuclear waste. It presents common-sense methodologies in a straightforward manner, so the text is accessible even to those with little experience with nuclear energy who are nonetheless concerned about the protection of our nuclear infrastructure. Important safety and security principles are outlined, along with security measures that can be implemented to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities.

Engineering Information Security covers all aspects of information security using a systematic engineering approach and focuses on the viewpoint of how to control access to information. Includes a discussion about protecting storage of private keys, SCADA, Cloud, Sensor, and Ad Hoc networks Covers internal operations security processes of monitors, review exceptions, and plan remediation Over 15 new sections Instructor resources such as lecture slides, assignments, quizzes, and a set of questions organized as a final exam If you are an instructor and adopted this book for your course, please email [email protected] to get access to the additional instructor materials for this book.