Effects of a Cyber Attack
Effects of a Cyber Attack on our Nations Infrastructure and Economy
Kelly O’Connor
HSM 305 Professor, Makuch May 5, 2010
The damaging effects on infrastructure through cyber terrorism have a critical effect on a Nation that can collapse an economy and destroy a nation’s safety. A very important infrastructure, that after 9/11 has changed dramatically, is mass transit or trains systems. The Transportation Security Agency modified their effort so step up and protect US commuters and infrastructure however rail has been neglected and under funded. An important question is what precautions have been made in order to secure this infrastructure from a cyber attack? What determines the infrastructure to be considered critical? Why would transportation (rail to be exact) be a critical infrastructure and what effects would a cyber attack have on this system?
In the United States our main government bodies that address the systems and security of the transportation infrastructure are the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the DHS Transportation Security Agency. Bullock, Coppola, Haddow, and Yeletaysi (2009) Explain “TSA provides security to the nations transportation systems with primary focus on aviation security” (p233). This text also includes there are 9 billion passenger trips per year on the nation’s mass transit systems. Even with the disastrous bombing of the London Subways system in July of 2005, rail transportation still has not seen the attention or the proper funding from TSA so ensure more security measures. Makuch (2010) also explained “Charted with protecting all the nation’s transportation systems, TSA is faced with an enormous challenge. Unfortunately, they are unable to meet all the demands and have focused 84% of their efforts on aviation security and left the other means of transport dramatically under funded. Ports, busses,
Kelly O’Connor
HSM 305 Professor, Makuch May 5, 2010
The damaging effects on infrastructure through cyber terrorism have a critical effect on a Nation that can collapse an economy and destroy a nation’s safety. A very important infrastructure, that after 9/11 has changed dramatically, is mass transit or trains systems. The Transportation Security Agency modified their effort so step up and protect US commuters and infrastructure however rail has been neglected and under funded. An important question is what precautions have been made in order to secure this infrastructure from a cyber attack? What determines the infrastructure to be considered critical? Why would transportation (rail to be exact) be a critical infrastructure and what effects would a cyber attack have on this system?
In the United States our main government bodies that address the systems and security of the transportation infrastructure are the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the DHS Transportation Security Agency. Bullock, Coppola, Haddow, and Yeletaysi (2009) Explain “TSA provides security to the nations transportation systems with primary focus on aviation security” (p233). This text also includes there are 9 billion passenger trips per year on the nation’s mass transit systems. Even with the disastrous bombing of the London Subways system in July of 2005, rail transportation still has not seen the attention or the proper funding from TSA so ensure more security measures. Makuch (2010) also explained “Charted with protecting all the nation’s transportation systems, TSA is faced with an enormous challenge. Unfortunately, they are unable to meet all the demands and have focused 84% of their efforts on aviation security and left the other means of transport dramatically under funded. Ports, busses,
References: Bullock, J. A., Haddow, G. D., Coppola, D. P. & Yeletaysi, S. (2009). Introduction to homeland security: Principles of all-hazards response (3rd ed.). Oxford, UK: Butterworth-heinemann. Kamien, D. (2006). The McGraw-Hill homeland security: The defensive guide for law enforcement, EMT, and all other security professionals. New York: McGraw-Hill. Moteff, J ; Copeland, C ; Fischer, John Critical Infrastructures: What Makes an Infrastructure Critical? Retrieved on May 2, 2010 from http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA467306 Wagner, R.F, (2005) Graduate School of Public Service, New York University, 295 Lafayette Street, 10012 New York, NY