This document discusses critical infrastructure in the United States and vulnerabilities to cyber attacks. It defines critical infrastructure as major sectors that allow the country to function, including transportation and utilities. Sixteen sectors make up US critical infrastructure. The document outlines that each sector is essential and a target, with cyber security being a significant vulnerability since sectors rely on internet and digital systems. Recommendations to mitigate cyber crime include standardized procurement, ongoing security training, and preparedness as emphasized in the Bible.

1. Charles's Initial Response
Charles B. Freitag
Helms School of Government, Liberty University
Definition of Critical Infrastructure
Critical infrastructure refers to those physical or virtual systems
and assets that are so crucial to the United States that their
incapacity or destruction would have a crippling effect on
national security (Taylor & Swanson, 2019). Osei-Kyei et al.
(2021) argue that the threats to America's crucial infrastructure
and resources critical infrastructures are vital to a nation's
physical and logical life. Furthermore, crucial infrastructure is
required for daily public welfare, economic growth, and
government activities (Osei-Kyei et al., 2021). Osei-Kyei et al.
(2021) add that water supply, healthcare (hospitals, medicines,
and vaccines), financial services (banks and insurance), civil
administration (government functions and facilities), and
transportation systems (road, rail, and air traffic) are all critical
infrastructures. Critical infrastructures are interconnected and
complex (Osei-Kyei et al., 2021).
Moreover, this means that the operation of one critical
infrastructure is dependent on the operation of others (Osei -
Kyei et al., 2021). For example, keeping a steady supply of
energy is essential for water and telecommunications networks.
Osei-Kyei et al. (2021) argue that a single critical infrastructure
failure can cause cascading effects on other critical
infrastructures, causing regional or national implications. The
tight interconnection of vital infrastructures complicates crisis
management. Finally, given the intricate interconnection of
critical infrastructure networks, governments have increasingly

2. needed to design resilient critical infrastructure systems (Osei -
Kyei et al., 2021).
Vulnerabilities of Critical Infrastructure
Baggott and Santos (2020) add that the impact of a cyberattack
on the power grid is markedly different from that of a natural
disaster. The ramifications could be far worse (Baggott &
Santos, 2020). Cyberattacks may have a detrimental effect on
the morale of impacted communities and may erode trust in
service providers. Baggott and Santos (2020) argue that while
natural disasters are incapable of selecting a specific target
(i.e., a critical location or node of the network), a cyberattacker
can pinpoint a specific node, time, and method of attack using
information about the grid's design that is readily available in
open source (non-classified) material on the Internet. Hurricane
Matthew recently knocked out electricity to an estimated 1.4
million people and killed over 1,000; while Hurricane Matthew
was devastating, the repercussions may have been even worse
had the storm's timing and direction been altered slightly
(Baggott & Santos, 2020).
Taylor and Swanson (2019) argue that the terrorist attacks of
September 11, 2001, underscored the threat and vulnerability of
essential infrastructure. Additionally, federal, state, and
municipal governments have recognized this vulnerability and
the potential threats posed by terrorist organizations and have
taken various actions to mitigate the possibility of a tragedy of
this size (Taylor & Swanson, 2019). Taylor and Swanson (2019)
add that these provisions, referred to as critical infrastructure
protection, were a significant component of the USA PATRIOT
Act. The Act was signed into law by then-President George W.
Bush in 2001.
Protecting Critical Infrastructure
President Bush established the National Infrastructure

3. Protection Plan (NIPP) to address America’s critical
infrastructure and plan for its protection (Taylor & Swanson,
2019). The plan is consistently updated to better address and
security threats to critical infrastructure. Also, NIPP 2013
(2013) argues that for the country's security, public health,
economic prosperity, and way of life, protecting and
maintaining critical infrastructure and essential resources
(CIKR) is crucial. Additionally, CIKR contains physical or
virtual assets, systems, and networks so critical to the U.S. that
their impairment or destruction would jeopardize national
security, economic security, public health or safety, or any
combination of these (NIPP 2013, 2013). NIPP 2013 (2013)
argues that to reduce vulnerability, prevent threats, and limit
the repercussions of assaults and other incidents, the NIPP sets
national priorities, targets, and requirements for CIKR
protection. Additionally, implementing protective programs and
resiliency plans establishes overarching principles relevant to
all CIKR sectors designated under Homeland Security
Presidential Directive 7 (NIPP 2013, 2013). Finally, critical
elements of the NIPP are risk control and partnerships,
Risk Control
Taylor and Swanson (2019) highlight the importance of risk
control. The NIPP outlines the significant actions, milestones,
and indicators required to preserve CIKR (NIPP 2013, 2013). It
outlines a comprehensive risk management framework and
clearly defines roles and responsibilities for DHS, SSAs, and
other federal, state, municipal, tribal, territorial, and private
sector partners. Also, NIPP 2013 (2013) argues that an essential
component of the NIPP is its risk management framework,
which defines the methods for merging consequence,
vulnerability, and threat information to estimate national or
sector risk.
Model Sector Partnerships
Taylor and Swanson (2019) argue about the importance of
partnerships. The NIPP must be implemented by organizations

4. and partnerships committed to sharing and preserving
information (NIPP 2013, 2013). DHS, in collaboration with the
SSAs, oversees the NIPP partnership framework and
information-sharing network. Correspondence between public
and commercial sector partners on CIKR protection is
established through the coordination channels (NIPP 2013,
2013). Beyond direct partnership, the mechanisms outlined
below provide a national framework for fostering ties and
coordinating CIKR sectors.
Furthermore, Sector Cooperation Coordination (SCC) is the
primary private sector institution that coordinates a wide range
of CIKR protection operations and challenges with the
government (NIPP 2013, 2013). The Regional Consortium
Coordinating Council, together with Sector Coordinating
Councils and Government Coordinating Councils, establishes a
framework for government and the private sector to collaborate
and develop consensus-building approaches to essential
infrastructure varies in each sector, reflecting its makeup, but
should represent a broad range of owners, operators,
associations, and other entities (NIPP 2013, 2013).
Additionally, Coordinating Councils (GCC) are formed to
enable inter-agency and cross-jurisdictional coordination. The
GCC comprises delegates from several levels of government
(federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial) (NIPP 2013, 2013).
Council of the Regional Consortium (RCCC)
NIPP 2013 (2013) argues that the RCCC brings together
regional partnerships, groups, and governing entities to
coordinate CIKR protection across geographical and sector
boundaries. Also, global Coordination US-Canada includes the
Mexico Security and Prosperity Partnership, the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization's Senior Civil Emergency Planning
Committee, government councils such as the Committee on
Foreign Investment in the United States, and consensus-based

5. nongovernmental or public-private organizations (NIPP 2013,
2013). The CIPAC directly supports the sector partnership
approach by providing a legislative framework for SCC and
GCC members to collaborate on CIKR protection. The CIPAC
provides a venue for government and private sector partners to
discuss planning, coordination, implementation, and operational
challenges, as well as CIKR protection, response, and recovery
(NIPP 2013, 2013).
Biblical Worldview
Protecting the United States requires teamwork. Our Lord says,
“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the
night cometh, when no man can work” (King James Bible,
1769/2017, John 9:4). Also, our Lord says in Nehemiah 5:16,
“Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought
we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the
work.” Finally, our Lord says in 1 Kings 7:22, “And upon the
top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars
finished.”
References
Baggott, S. S., & Santos, J. R. (2020). A risk analysis
framework for cyber security and critical infrastructure
protection of the u.s. electric power grid. Risk Analysis, 40(9),
1744–1761. https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.13511
King James Bible. (2017). King James Bible Online.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/ (Original work
published 1769)
NIPP 2013 (2013) [Policy Brief]. (2013). U.S. Department of
Homeland Security. h (Links to an external
site.)ttps://www.dhs.gov

6. Osei-Kyei, R., Tam, V., Ma, M., & Mashiri, F. (2021). Critical
review of the threats affecting the building of critical
infrastructure resilience. International Journal of Disaster Risk
Reduction, 60, 102316.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102316
Taylor, R. W., & Swanson, C. R. (2019). Terrorism, intelligence
& homeland security (2nd ed.). Pearson.
Ryan Eagleson
WednesdayNov 24 at 10:54pm
The United States has one of the most robust critical
infrastructures in the world, serving the approximate 330
million citizens that occupy the county. For reference, the
United States’ critical infrastructure is comprised of major
sectors that collectively constitute the necessary resources,
facilities, and governing bodies that allow the United States to
function (Taylor & Swanson, 2019). Currently, there are 16
different sectors within the United States. For example, the
nuclear, water, and transportation sectors are all separated as
they are individually vital for the United States to function
(Cheshmehzangi, 2021; Taylor & Swanson, 2019).
Unfortunately, government leaders have learned that since each
sector is essential to the United States’ level of functionality,

7. they are significant targets for opposing military forces and
provide numerous opportunities for any type of terroristic or
criminal attack (Taylor & Swanson, 2019). Therefore, and
perhaps less obvious, each critical infrastructure sector has
apparent vulnerabilities that, if not mitigated for, open the
United States to significant financial and information loss
(Collier & Lackoff, 2008).
A vast number of vulnerabilities exist for United States
critical infrastructure, some more apparent than others. One of
the most distinguished vulnerabilities that exist in the United
States involves the technological realm of cyber security
(Collier & Lackoff, 2008; Humphreys, 2019). Every single
critical infrastructure sector utilizes the internet, digital
accounts, web-based communication, and software that helps to
manage at least a fraction of their businesses and services
online (Humphreys, 2019). Online activities are becoming
increasingly risky to operate, especially considering that they
can become infiltrated, extorted from, and repurposed by
terrorists, cybercriminals, or hackers (Kadir et al., 2019). In
fact, the cyber security enterprise within the United States has
become a significant focus of homeland security due to the
exponential rise in online data and system breaches (Kadir et
al., 2019). Unfortunately, all of the critical infrastructure
sectors have experienced cyber-attacks. Cyber attacks are often
difficult to predict and undoubtedly challenging to prosecute. A
study by Brantly (2018) contends that many cybercriminals or
terrorists do not feel the effects of deterrence as robustly when
committing cybercrimes. Instead, cybercriminals or terrorists
can hide behind a screen and perhaps thousands of miles from
their victims (Brantly, 2018).
Concerning recommendations toward mitigating cybercrime
and cyberterrorism, several options exist. Srinivas et al. (2019)
make several suggestions on how public, private, and
government cyber entities can keep their systems secure in the

8. wake of increasing cybercrime, cyberterrorism, and hacking
operations. They suggest that cybersecurity is established best
when policy-makers incorporate standardization within all cyber
activities (Srinivas et al., 2019). For example, private and
public businesses need to establish a standardized procurement
process when obtaining new cyber equipment. Srinivas et al.
(2019) contend that following a standardized procurement
process that is methodically researched and emplaced within the
policy will keep companies safer. He and Zhang (2019) focus on
the importance of workplace education on cyber systems. They
explain that all companies and government entities should
require ongoing cyber security training and programs (He &
Zhang, 2019). When its importance is emphasized and
embedded within a company’s culture, online security training
can drastically reduce cyberattacks and prevent massive grief
due to financial or informational loss (He & Zhang, 2019;
Srinivas et al., 2019). Whereas many more recommendations
exist, it is essential to include a Christian worldview
perspective within the mix. The Holy Bible highlights the
essentialness of being prepared and trained well to prevent
future problems, which is undoubtedly relevant regarding cyber
security, “That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works” (King James Bible, 1769/2021, 2
Timothy 3:17).
References
Brantly, A. L. (2018). The cyber deterrence problem. Institute
of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
https://doi.org/10.23919/CYCON.2018.8405009 (Links to an
external site.)
Cheshmehzangi, A. (2021). Critical infrastructures and
safeguarding the city’s sustainability and peace. In Urban

9. health, sustainability, and peace in the day the world stopped
(pp. 55–60). Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-
981-16-4888-5_5 (Links to an external site.)
Collier, S. J., & Lackoff, A. (2008). The vulnerability of vital
systems: How “critical infrastructure” became a security
problem. In Securing ‘the homeland’ (pp. 17–39). Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203926529-2 (Links to an external
site.)
He, W., & Zhang, Z. (2019). Enterprise cybersecurity training
and awareness programs: Recommendations for success. Journal
of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce, 29(4),
249–257. https://doi.org/10.1080/10919392.2019.1611528
(Links to an external site.)
Humphreys, B. E. (2019). Critical infrastructure: Emerging
trends and policy considerations for Congress. Congressional
Research Service, 1–33.
everycrsreport.com/files/20190708_R45809_54416d7b2f43d416
96e8e971832aea5fe96a9919.pdf
Kadir, N. K., Judhariksawan, & Maskun. (2019). Terrorism and
cyberspace: A phenomenon of cyber-terrorism as transnational
crimes. FIAT JUSTISIA, 13(4), 333–344.
https://doi.org/10.25041/fiatjustisia.v13no4.1735 (Links to an
external site.)
King James Bible. (2021). King James Bible Online.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org (Original Work
Published 1769)
Srinivas, J., Das, A., & Kumar, N. (2019). Government
regulations in cyber security: Framework, standards and
recommendations. Future Generation Computer Systems, 92,
178–188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.future.2018.09.063 (Links to

10. an external site.)
Taylor, R. W., & Swanson, C. R. (2019). Terrorism, intelligence
& homeland security (2nd ed.). Pearson.
Food Footprint Analysis
Objectives:
This Assignment addresses the following CCO objectives:
2. Present environmental information using effective written
and/or oral communications
3. Describe, numerically and graphically, various presentations
of data
6. Describe conditions that promote various ecosystems and
appraise the impacts of human endeavors on them
7. Find, evaluate, use and cite variety of informational
resources relevant to environmental science
9. Describe the impact human activities had on natural systems
10. Evaluate a range of cultural and social approaches to
environmental problems
13. Assess the effect and importance of individual behavior on
environmental issues
18. Develop informed views based on critical evaluation of
information sources
19. Engage in problem solving of environmental issues
Due Date: Please see the Assignment and Syllabus for Due
DatesCredit: This activity is worth _30_ points, see Rubric for
details.
A FoodPrint (food footprint) is the ecological footprint of the
food we eat based on the way it is raised and brought to market.
It includes the land area necessary for the production of the
food and in the case of livestock, the production of the feed for
those animals. For seafood it includes the oceans/lakes/rivers
required to produce the food items. It also includes a measure of
the land necessary to absorb the wastes produced in the
production of the food, the manure, carbon dioxide (CO2) from
transportation, landfill space from packaging, etc.
([email protected], 2008)

11. Complete the activities below and submit your findings in a
Word document attached to the Assignment in Blackboard. Be
certain to properly cite your sources in APA (Name, Year)
format with a full references list at the end of your submission.
To help you better understand this assignment, Read the article,
Food’s Carbon Footprint from nutritionist Jane Richards at
GreenEatz.com (http://www.greeneatz.com/foods-carbon-
footprint.html)
Part 1: Estimate your Ecological Footprint
· Go to the Global Footprint Network’s Ecological Footprint
Calculator: https://www.footprintcalculator.org/
· Complete the Quiz and find your Earth Overshoot date and the
number of planets you need for your lifestyle.
· Then choose the See Details arrow to get more information.
· Answer the following questions in a brief (2-3 sentences)
paragraph:
1a) How many global hectares does just your food require?
Compare this to the land area available per person on the planet.
1b) Describe ways that you could reduce your Food Footprint?
(Be certain to cite your sources and use academic grammar and
mechanics in your response.)
Part 2: Your Personal Food Diary
· Choose a typical day in your week, one where you are working
or attending school. Make a complete list of the items you eat &
drink throughout that day. Create a table to help you organize
your foods.
· List each food item and try to identify the actual amount of
each food that you have consumed (including calories).
· List all the ingredients. Remember whole foods don’t have
ingredients, and some ingredients (i.e. mayonnaise) have
additional ingredients within them.
· Your food diary MUST include a minimum of 5 items and/or
between 1000-2000 calories.* There are a number of widely
available apps for estimating the amount and caloric content of
your food. *If you are under the care of a physician and have a
calorie-restricted diet please contact your instructor prior to

12. turning in your Assignment for further instructions.
Food Item
Amount (g)
Ingredients:
Granola bar
42g, 190 calories
whole grain oats, sugar, canola oil, dark chocolate chips (sugar,
chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, natural flavor),
roasted peanuts, yellow corn flour, soy flour, peanut butter,
brown sugar syrup, honey, salt, natural flavor, soy lecithin,
baking soda (package listing)
apple
Medium ~50g, 75 calories
apple, Macintosh
Skim milk French Vanilla Swirl Iced Macchiato
24fl oz, 240 calories
Skim Milk; Brewed Espresso Coffee; French Vanilla Flavored
Swirl Syrup: Sweetened Condensed Skim Milk, Sugar, High
Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Natural and Artificial Flavor,
Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Salt.
(Dunkin Donuts, 2017)
Your table will have more rows to reach a minimum of 1000
calories and 5 food items.
· This is an incomplete EXAMPLE of what Table 1 should look
like.
If you need help creating a table in word (you can use Excel if
you want), here are a few resources:
· How to Make a Table On Microsoft Word
· Insert a table
Part 3: Food FootPrint Analysis
Now that you have taken a long, hard look at the foods you
actually eat, identify the impacts of these foods on our planet
and your health. Generally the less a food has to travel, the less
CO2 is produced. Foods produced by large, industrial farming

13. practices tend to use more fertilizer, water, and pesticides.
Fresh, sustainably grown, organic and local foods tend to have
better nutrition than highly processed items.
For each item in your Food Diary:
1) Is the item a whole or a processed food?
2) Was the item organically or industrially grown? Include the
evidence you have to support this
3) How far has the food traveled to get to your plate? These are
your “food miles”.
There are a number of online calculators to help you with this,
or you can use Google maps to get the distance.
Example Food Miles calculators:https://www.foodmiles.com/
[This one is based in the UK but you can select your home
country and it will use Washington DC as your ‘home’
location.]
http://www.fallsbrookcentre.ca/cgi-bin/calculate.pl [This one is
more comprehensive, but the results are more challenging to
interpret.]
4) Multiply the miles traveled (from #3) by the CO2 per mile
conversion below to get your Carbon Footprint for that item.
Remember this is an estimate only and that many additional
factors come into play in the ‘real world’.
If transported by car (locally): 0.65 lbs CO2/mi
19.4 lbs CO2 per gallon of gasoline (DOE, 2009) / 30mpg (my
car’s mpg) = 0.65 lbs CO2 per mile
If shipped by truck: 3.7 lbs CO2/mi 22.2 lbs CO2 per
gallon of diesel fuel (DOE, 2009) / 6 mpg (Geotab, 2019) = 3.7
lbs CO2 per mile.
(This is the most common within the US, Canada & Mexico)
If shipped by air: 0.5 lbs CO2/mi
(Carbon Fund, 2016)
If shipped by boat: 0.06 lbs CO2/mi
(Carbon Fund, 2016)
5) What would be an example of a lower carbon footprint food?
Please note, you don’t actually have to eat this food, it is a

14. thought experiment. Unless you list a locally grown, organic,
in-season fruit or vegetable, there will be a lower carbon
option!
This is an incompleteEXAMPLE of what Table 2 should look
like:
Food Item
1)
Whole or Processed
2)
Organic or Industrial
3)
Food Miles
(mi)
CO2 conversion factor
(lbs /mi)
4)
Estimated Carbon Footprint
(lbs CO2)
5) Lower carbon alternative?
Granola bar
Processed
Industrial
607
3.7
2,246
Locally grown oatmeal
Apple
Whole
Organic (label)
20
0.65
13
This is a locally grown in season fruit.
Dunkin Iced Coffee
Processed

15. Industrial
Coffee:
2,396 (Bogota, Columbia)
Cream:
988 (Wisconsin)
0.06
3.7
144 +
3657 =
3800 total
Water from the tap
**Note that this is a SAMPLE, you must complete Table 2 for
each item in Table 1.
Be certain to properly cite your sources in APA format with a
full references list at the end of your submission.
Part 4: Conclusions
Please respond to each of the questions below in a short essay
(2-3 paragraphs) which uses academic English and is properly
cited in APA (Name, Year) format.
· What have you learned about your personal Food FootPrint in
terms of both health and ecological impacts from this activity?
· What factors contribute most to your food choices?
· Explain what impacts would be reduced buying more local
foods?
· Would you be willing to make changes to your diet based on
these results? Why or why not?
· What resources exist to enable you to purchase locally grown
foods in Baltimore? Provide at least two (2) locations where

16. you could purchase these foods.
· Describe any programs that exist in our area that would enable
a person of limited income to get better access to healthy food
choices. (This will require research; be sure to cite your
sources.)Submission:
Submit your Food Footprint Assignment as a single
documentand upload it the assignment submission link on
Blackboard. Your document should include both your tables,
your essay, and references. You must use academic English in
your response, and you must provide citations in APA for all
information outside of your personal experiences (include in-
text citations AND a full reference list)
References:
Carbon Fund. (2016). How we calculate. Retrieved from
https://carbonfund.org/how-we-calculate/
Department of Energy (DOE). (2009). Fact#576: Carbon
dioxide from Gasoline and Diesel Fuel. Vehicle
Technologies Office. Retrieved from
https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/fact-576-june-22- 2009-
carbon-dioxide-gasoline-and-diesel-fuel
Dunkin Donuts. (2017). Iced macchiato. Retrieved on May 26,
2017 from https://www.dunkindonuts.com/en/food-drinks/iced-
drinks/iced-macchiato
[email protected] Publishing, LTD. (2017). Sustainable Food:
Food footprint – what it means.
Retrieved May 26, 2017 from
http://sustainablefood.com/Foodfootprint-What.htm
Geotab. (2019). The State of Fuel Economy in Trucking.
Retrieved from https://www.geotab.com/truck- mpg-
benchmark/
Richards, J. (n.d.). Food’s Carbon Footprint. Retrieved May 26,
2017 from http://www.greeneatz.com/foods-carbon-
footprint.html

17. AMERICAN'S VARIOUS AREAS OF CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE AND KEY RESOURCES 1
AMERICA’S VARIOUS AREAS OF CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE AND KEY RESOURCES 5
Comment by Srini: Hello Jervaughn, welcome to the
Online Writing Center (OWC). My name is Srini, and I will be
reviewing your paper. While I cannot edit your work, I will
make some helpful suggestions and point out errors. I will be
looking for patterns of error and will point the things you can
look for during editing. If the error occurs in other places, I will
add the words, apply throughout, to alert you to look for the
error.
Please note that Liberty University has decided that graduate
and doctoral students are to follow the APA 7th edition
Professional Format. You can also find highlights for the
changes at APA Guide.
Disclaimer: Remember that the OWC is not an editing service.
Our comments and suggestions are not exhaustive. Our service
is designed to help you recognize and correct your writing so
that you can become a better writer. Except where otherwise
noted, formatting suggestions follow the latest (7th) edition of
the APA Publication Manual. If in doubt about whether to use
the 7th edition, please consult your professor. Also note the
following statement from the OWC website: "OWC staff may
not be held responsible for recognizing plagiarism or
interpreting Safe Assign scores but will note any improper
citations, documentation, or formatting. Comment by Srini:
You have used different font for the running head. Be sure to
maintain the same font throughout your paper. Liberty
University recommends normal style and a standard Times New
Roman 12 black for APA format papers (APA 2.19). See the

18. OWC APA Format Quick Guide for more help.
American's Various Areas of Critical Infrastructure and Key
Resources
Jervaughn ReidComment by Srini: APA title page elements for
the professional version (used by graduate and doctoral
students) are to be centered and double-spaced, 3 or 4 lines
down from the top margin. They should include the paper’s title
(in bold), the author’s name a blank double-spaced line below
the title, and the institution affiliation below the author’s name
(APA 2.3). Also, Change the spacing before and after to “0.”
They should be black color. See the OWC APA Format Quick
Guide for more help.
Helm school of Government, Liberty University Comment by
Srini: The word school is a proper noun in this context. A
proper noun and any derivative adjectives are always
capitalized; however, the preceding article is not. For example,
capitalize “the Empire State Building.” The OWC website has a
presentation on capitalization here:
https://www.liberty.edu/casas/academic-success-center/wp-
content/uploads/sites/28/2019/04/Capitalization.pdf.
American's Various Areas of Critical Infrastructure and Key
Resources
Critical infrastructure and key resources( CIKR) is an umbrella
term that refers to the assets of the United State crucial to the
national health, public and safety security, economic
importance, and way of life. Critical infrastructure comprises
transport, food and water systems, agriculture, and
communication. The CIKR entails all the resources contributing
to the systems including the police. Intelligent community and
armed forces. In the United State, CIKR was passed through
during Patriot Act in 1996 (Young et al.,2017). Critical

19. infrastructure security has become a serious concern as the
systems involved are becoming connected resulting in high
vulnerability attacks. Through the protection of the CIKR, the
American people are also protected contributing to peace and
harmony. Comment by Srini: Incorrect spacing after the open
parenthesis for this acronym. Acronyms are a type of
abbreviation and should follow the same guidelines (APA 6.24-
25). Spell out what the initials stand for upon first use, followed
by the acronym in parentheses. You should then use the
acronym by itself in future instances. For example,
“International Business Machines (IBM).” Check out the writing
resources on the OWC website. Comment by Srini: The
noun State should be in the plural form. Also, this phrase does
not flow smooth. Refer to the worksheet on sentence
construction and rephrase it for clariy:
https://www.liberty.edu/casas/academic-success-center/wp-
content/uploads/sites/28/2019/04/Sentence_Construction.pdf
Apply throughout Comment by Srini: You are missing a
comma here. When “including” is used to give examples, use a
comma. For example: “I like food, including curry, cake, caviar,
and sticky toffee pudding”. There is an excellent presentation
on comma usage on the OWC’s website:
https://www.liberty.edu/casas/academic-success-center/wp-
content/uploads/sites/28/2019/04/Commas.pdf
Apply throughout Comment by Srini: You are missing a space
after the punctuation here. Place one space after punctuation
marks (commas, semicolons, etc.) within a sentence. Check out
the writing resources on the OWC website.
Apply throughout Comment by Srini: Commas are used to
separate a non-restrictive element. A nonrestrictive element -
one that is not essential to the basic meaning of the sentence -
could be removed and the sentence would still make sense. Use
commas to set off any nonrestrictive parts of a sentence. For

20. example, instead of “James Bill’s father went into the garage,”
the correct alternative would be “James, Bill’s father, went into
the garage.” The reader does not need to know that James is
Bill’s father to know the basic meaning of the sentence: James
went into the garage. There is an excellent presentation on
comma usage on the OWC’s website:
https://www.liberty.edu/casas/academic-success-center/wp-
content/uploads/sites/28/2019/04/Commas.pdf
Apply throughout
Vulnerabilities to America's Various Areas of Critical
Infrastructure and key Resources. Comment by Srini: You
have an incorrect terminal punctuation for this heading. Level 1
headings are centered, boldface, in title case (all major words
capitalized). (APA 2.27).
Level 2 headings are left-aligned, boldface, in title case (all
major words capitalized). (APA 2.27). See the OWC APA
Format Quick Guide for more help.
Vulnerability and threats concerning critical infrastructure
have been recognized as challenges for a long period (Taylor &
Swanson, 2016). From disturbance to nuclear energy plants to
disclosed electrical grids, both private and public organizations
are accountable for the protection of the public from potential
cyberattacks. Some of the attacks and threats to critical
infrastructure security are discussed below. Comment by
Srini: The phrase the protection of is wordy. Vigorous writing is
concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a
paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a
drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no
unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his
sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects
only in outline, but that every word tell.
To start with, network segmentation is an architectural
strategy that split networks into several multiple sections
permitting network administrators to have access to the traffic
flow based on the administrative policies. Attacks on the

21. network segmentation allow the gain of vulnerable information
and assets in an organization. Highly confidential intellectual
property and information can be obtained. Comment by
Srini: The subordinate phrase To start with does not modifying
the subject network segmentation. To communicate your ideas
clearly, you must place a modifier directly next to the word it is
supposed to modify. The modifier should clearly refer to a
specific word in the sentence. For example, instead of, “At eight
years old, my father gave me a pony for Christmas.” Assuming
the father was not eight years old, the sentence should be
rewritten: “When I was eight years old, my father gave me a
pony for Christmas.” See the OWC’s article on misplaced
modifiers: https://www.liberty.edu/casas/academic-success-
center/wp-
content/uploads/sites/28/2019/04/Misplaced_Modifiers.ppt
Secondly, Web application attacks are devastating to the
CIKR. The OT systems including Human management interlinks
as well as programmed logic computers ate highly
interconnected to the network which is easily accessible through
the use of remote making them highly vulnerable. Comment by
Srini: Which is a relative pronoun and determiner that will be
used to refer to something previously mentioned and then add or
introduce more information. These nonrestrictive clauses always
use a comma before which. When they occur in the middle of a
sentence, they are wrapped in two commas. If it’s the last
phrase, there is only one comma. They are very easy to
recognize because you can remove them from a sentence, and
the sentence remains complete. Here are some examples.
White Manor House, which was built in 1843, is an important
local monument.
The local mayor will open the new 24/7 medical clinic, which is
located on Jarvis Street.
Moreover, command injection and parameters manipulation
are the most serious vulnerabilities existing. Use of Command
injection and parameter manipulation happens when unverified
code is passed as a required input for the execution of attacks.

22. (Kenter et al,2021). The risk occurs when dynamically built
commands are leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary
execution on underlying operating systems. Comment by
Srini: In APA 7, for a work with three or more authors, list the
first author and “et al.” for all citations, including the first
citation, unless doing so would create ambiguity. Here is how
this would look for a source authored by Sokoto, Lai, and Bakke
published in 2017: (Sokoto et al., 2017)
Replace the word and between two authors’ names with an
ampersand (&) in parenthetical citations (APA 8.17). For
example, (Smith & Jones, 2021). When using a narrative
citation in-text, use and between the two author last names. For
example: According to Smith and Jones (2021) …
CIKR owners and managers out to be aware of their role
and duty in terms of protection to the critical infrastructure and
resources. Some of the recommendations to guide the resource
owners on the protection of critical assets include identifying
owned and operated CIKR and understanding CIKR asset
interdependencies. Comment by Srini: Incorrect word choice
here. See this helpful resource for more information:
https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/word-choice/
Firstly, identification of the owned and operated CIKR is
essential for the organization for it helps in evaluating the
entity assets and functions as part of the United States CIKR
inventory. Through understanding the sector's assets are
affiliated, DHS sector-specific plans are organized as per the
National infrastructure protection plan. DHS plan facilitates in
guiding the owner with the information on the main operating
characteristics of the sector.
Secondly, understanding the CIKR asset interdependencies help
in facilitating brainstorming sessions which help in the
identification of various ways the entity may be connected with
other vital critical infrastructure protection. Comment by
Srini: Your paragraph here consists of only one sentence.
Proper paragraph development requires a clear topic sentence

23. followed by two or more supporting sentences that substantiate
your topic sentence. Either develop this as a paragraph more
fully or incorporate the sentence into your following paragraph
if appropriate to avoid one- or two-sentence paragraphs. There
is an excellent presentation on paragraph construction on the
OWC website at: https://www.liberty.edu/casas/academic-
success-center/wp-
content/uploads/sites/28/2019/04/Paragraph_Construction.pdf
Apply throughout
Comment by Srini: Paragraphs are to be left justified,
double-spaced with no extra line spacing between paragraphs,
and indented 0.5” (APA 2.21-2.24). Using MS Word’s “Home”
“Paragraph” makes formatting easier. Change the spacing before
and after to “0.” See the OWC APA Format Quick Guide for
more help.
Apply throughout
Biblical Integration
The Holy Bible relates to the CIRK in Proverbs 27:12 “ The
prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going
and pay the penalty”(King James Bible, 1769/2018). This means
that the CIRK should be protected at all cause for the security
of the people. Comment by Srini: You have incorrect space and
punctuation for this biblical citation. Avoid quoting biblical
passages without an introductory phrase. For example, instead
of using “John 14:6: ‘Jesus answered, “I am the way…,” the
correct way would be “The pastor quoted John 14:6: ‘Jesus
answered, “I am the way…” See GrammarBook.com for more
information. Comment by Srini: You are missing a space
between the ending quote and opening parenthesis here.
Comment by Srini: This is an overused pronoun. Be careful
in its use that the reader can see to what noun “this” is referring
and avoid beginning sentences with this. See

24. GrammarBook.com for more information.
Conclusion
Critical infrastructure comprises transport, food and water
systems, agriculture, and communication. The CIKR entails all
the resources contributing to the systems including the police.
Some of the attacks and threats to critical infrastructure security
include Web application attacks and network segmentation.
Some of the recommendation to guide the resource owners on
the protection of critical assets includes identifying owned and
operated CIKR and understanding CIKR asset
interdependencies. Comment by Srini: The structure of this
sentence is so complicated that its meaning gets lost or
confused. Consider simplifying. There is an excellent worksheet
on sentence construction here:
https://www.liberty.edu/casas/academic-success-center/wp-
content/uploads/sites/28/2019/04/Sentence_Construction.pdf
References Comment by Srini: You have an extra space
here. The heading, References, should be centered and bolded,
double space after. The works referenced should be left-
justified, double-spaced, unnumbered, and alphabetized by the
first author’s last name. Each entry should use a hanging indent,
wherein lines after the first are indented. There is no extra line
spacing between entries. Also, Change the spacing before and
after to “0.” Use normal style and a standard Times New Roman
font size 12 (APA 2.12). The OWC has an excellent video
tutorial on reference entries here:
https://watch.liberty.edu/media/t/1_1g6ou5pl
Kenter, R. C., & Goldsmith, M. (2021). Law Enforcement and
the Protection of Critical Infrastructures. In The Role of Law
Enforcement in Emergency Management and Homeland
Security. Emerald Publishing Limited.
King James Bible. (2018). King James Bible online

25. https://biblehub.com/proverbs/27-12.htm Comment by Srini: If
you’re citing a classic version of the Bible, you’ll generally be
referring to a modern reprint of that version, rather than the
original. The first date you list in your reference is the date of
the reprint, and the date of original publication appears at the
end.
In your in-text citations, this order is reversed; the original date
is listed first, then the date of the edition used, separated by a
slash.
Format Bible Version Title. (Year). Publisher. (Original work
published Year)
Reference entry King James Bible. (2008). Oxford
University Press. (Original work published 1769)
Taylor, R. W., & Swanson, C. R. (2016). Terrorism,
intelligence, and homeland security. Pearson.
Young, R. R., Gordon, G. A., & Plant, J. F. (2017). Railway
Security: Protecting Against Manmade and Natural Disasters.
Routledge. Comment by Srini: Jervaughn, thank you for the
opportunity to review your paper. As you revise your paper,
consider the comments regarding title page format, spacing,
commas, citations, word-choice, and sentence structure. These
revisions will help you present a grammatically accurate and
academic standard paper that helps readers understand the ideas
you wish to convey.
Review the comment in the greeting and the linked Comparison
Chart of APA-6 and APA-7 and Sample APA-targeted f7 paper
for Graduate & Doctoral Students documents that discuss
Liberty University’s decision to have graduate students follow
the professional formatting guidelines for papers.
I trust that these comments will help you with your paper. If
you have any additional questions, feel free to email the OWC
at [email protected] If you need further assistance, then you can
request a live appointment at www.liberty.edu/online/online-

26. writing-center/. You may also wish to check out the writing aids
and the Live Chat at the OWC. God bless you and thank you for
using the OWC.
Srini
CJUS 820
Discussion Assignment Instructions
The student will complete 8 Discussions in this course. The
student will post one thread of at least 500 words by 11:59 p.m.
(ET) on Thursday of the assigned Module: Week. The student
must then post 2 replies of at least 250 words by 11:59 p.m.
(ET) on Sunday of the assigned Module: Week. For each thread,
students must support their assertions with at least 2 scholarly
citations in APA format. Each reply must incorporate at least 2
scholarly citation(s) in APA format. Any sources cited must
have been published within the last five years. Acceptable
sources include texts, articles, presentations, the Bible, blogs,
videos, etc.
Thread
Discuss the vulnerabilities to America's various areas of critical
infrastructure and key resources. Also, discuss what might be
done and make recommendations for how to better secure and
protect these areas.
Please include Biblical worldview with verse and citation

27. preferably King James Bible
Criteria Ratings Points
Content:
Thread
15 to >13.0 pts
Advanced
• Each Question/prompt is
answered thoroughly with
a logical flow. • Major
points are conveyed in a
clear and scholarly
manner. • Response is
focused and remains on
topic.
13 to >11.0 pts
Proficient
• Student provides a response to
each question/prompt. • Major
points are generally conveyed in a
clear manner. • Response is
generally focused, fairly clear and
logical.

28. 11 to >0.0 pts
Developing
• Student does
not respond to all
aspects of the
question or
elements of the
question. • Some
major points are
missing and/or
there is a lack of
clarity in
conveying the
information.
• Response lacks
focus and does
not provide a
logical flow of
thought.
0 pts
Not
Present
15 pts
Content
Thread:
Research
Engagement
13 to >10.0 pts

29. Advanced
Ideas and concepts
discussed in the Learn
section are present and
integrated well integrated
into the discussion.
10 to >8.0 pts
Proficient
Ideas and concepts discussed in
the Learn section are mostly
present and integrated into the
discussion.
8 to >0.0 pts
Developing
Some or few
ideas and
concepts
discussed in the
Learn section are
present and
integrated into the
discussion.
0 pts
Not
Present

30. 13 pts
Content:
Reply
13 to >10.0 pts
Advanced
• At least 2 unique
postings or interactions
with classmate’s present.
• Student cites at least one
source in each unique
response to classmates.
• Student integrates
biblical principles into each
unique response.
• Student’s response
displays evidence of
thoughtful integration of
concepts from the course
and student’s familiarity
with course concepts is
evident.
10 to >8.0 pts
Proficient
• At least 2 unique postings or
interactions with classmate’s
present. • Student cites at least
one source in each unique
response to classmates.
• Student integrates biblical

31. principles into unique responses
to classmates with some repetition
or lack of nexus to class materials.
• Student’s response displays
some evidence of thoughtful
integration of concepts from the
course and indicates some level
of familiarity with the concepts of
the discussion.
8 to >0.0 pts
Developing
• One unique
response to
classmate
missing. • Replies
are redundant,
lack clarity or
engagement.
• Very little or no
new ideas,
information or
analysis added to
the discussion.
0 pts
Not
Present
13 pts
Discussion Grading Rubric | CJUS820_D02_202140

32. Criteria Ratings Points
Content
Biblical
Integration
12 to >10.0 pts
Advanced
Student brings clarity to
issues being discussed
relating issues to
Scripture/biblical principles
and experience.
10 to >8.0 pts
Proficient
Student brings some clarity to
issues being discussed relating
issues to Scripture/biblical
principles and experience.
8 to >0.0 pts
Developing
Student brings
little clarity to
issues being
discussed relating

33. issues to
Scripture/biblical
principles and
experience.
0 pts
Not
Present
12 pts
Structure
Grammar,
Spelling &
APA
12 to >10.0 pts
Advanced
Little or no errors in
grammar, spelling, and
APA formatting.
10 to >8.0 pts
Proficient
Some errors present in grammar,
spelling, and APA formatting
present.
8 to >0.0 pts

34. Developing
Numerous errors
in grammar,
spelling, and/or
APA formatting
present.
0 pts
Not
Present
12 pts
Structure
Word Count:
Thread and
Replies
10 to >8.0 pts
Advanced
Little or no errors in
grammar, spelling, and
APA formatting.
8 to >6.0 pts
Proficient
Some errors present in grammar,
spelling, and APA formatting
present.

35. 6 to >0.0 pts
Developing
Numerous errors
in grammar,
spelling, and/or
APA formatting
present.
0 pts
Not
Present
10 pts
Total Points: 75
Discussion Grading Rubric | CJUS820_D02_202140