Critical infrastructure refers to the essential systems and services in modern societies that support public services, the economy, and national security. These include systems for power, water, transportation, communications, health care, finance, and emergency services. Modern critical infrastructure is controlled and managed by interconnected computer systems, so these digital systems are also considered critical infrastructure. Critical infrastructure is characterized as being large in scale, complex with many interdependencies, reliant on standards, and long-lasting. The availability of critical infrastructure is essential for society, and the unavailability of critical systems could have significant human, economic, and social consequences.
From ATT&CKcon 4.0
By Matthew Mills, Nathaniel Beckstead, and Ryan Simon, Datadog
Cloud native computing has fundamentally changed traditional security methodologies and attack surfaces. This new architectural approach combines new operational tools and services like continuous integration, container engines, and orchestrators. Some organizations struggle to identify and respond to threats they specifically face when running cloud native workloads.
Perimeter-centric security evangelizes defense-in-depth or the onion model to implement different layers of defense. Cloud native security hyper-focuses on four unique layers: Cloud, Clusters, Containers, and Code.
Today's defenders have to look across several existing ATT&CK matrices including Linux Enterprise, Containers, Kubernetes, and IaaS to holistically evaluate and model threats or attack paths across the four distinct layers of cloud native workloads.
In conclusion, we will discuss some of the challenges facing threat modeling cloud native workloads, including showing how to leverage several different ATT&CK matrices to create a distinct Cloud Native Workload ATT&CK matrix. The creation of this matrix will help defenders take the guesswork out of identifying what tactics serve as potential threats against a cloud native workload in order to enhance their defensive baseline and detection coverage.
Evaluating and Enhancing Security Maturity through MITRE ATT&CK MappingMITRE ATT&CK
From ATT&CKcon 4.0
By Pranusha Somareddy, Lark Health
"By aligning security controls with specific adversary techniques and tactics, organizations can gain a comprehensive understanding of their defensive capabilities. This mapping exercise serves as a vital step in identifying potential gaps and weaknesses within the security architecture. The evaluation of security maturity using the MITRE ATT&CK framework provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of existing controls, shedding light on areas that require improvement or further attention.
In this presentation, we will delve into practical strategies and real-world examples that showcase how organizations can successfully leverage the MITRE ATT&CK framework to enhance their security maturity. We will also explore key topics such as:
(i)Customizing security training and awareness programs based on roles and responsibilities
(ii)Conducting thorough assessments of incident response capabilities through the framework
(iii)Integrating threat intelligence derived from ATT&CK to continuously improve the security posture"
From ATT&CKcon 4.0
By Matthew Mills, Nathaniel Beckstead, and Ryan Simon, Datadog
Cloud native computing has fundamentally changed traditional security methodologies and attack surfaces. This new architectural approach combines new operational tools and services like continuous integration, container engines, and orchestrators. Some organizations struggle to identify and respond to threats they specifically face when running cloud native workloads.
Perimeter-centric security evangelizes defense-in-depth or the onion model to implement different layers of defense. Cloud native security hyper-focuses on four unique layers: Cloud, Clusters, Containers, and Code.
Today's defenders have to look across several existing ATT&CK matrices including Linux Enterprise, Containers, Kubernetes, and IaaS to holistically evaluate and model threats or attack paths across the four distinct layers of cloud native workloads.
In conclusion, we will discuss some of the challenges facing threat modeling cloud native workloads, including showing how to leverage several different ATT&CK matrices to create a distinct Cloud Native Workload ATT&CK matrix. The creation of this matrix will help defenders take the guesswork out of identifying what tactics serve as potential threats against a cloud native workload in order to enhance their defensive baseline and detection coverage.
Evaluating and Enhancing Security Maturity through MITRE ATT&CK MappingMITRE ATT&CK
From ATT&CKcon 4.0
By Pranusha Somareddy, Lark Health
"By aligning security controls with specific adversary techniques and tactics, organizations can gain a comprehensive understanding of their defensive capabilities. This mapping exercise serves as a vital step in identifying potential gaps and weaknesses within the security architecture. The evaluation of security maturity using the MITRE ATT&CK framework provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of existing controls, shedding light on areas that require improvement or further attention.
In this presentation, we will delve into practical strategies and real-world examples that showcase how organizations can successfully leverage the MITRE ATT&CK framework to enhance their security maturity. We will also explore key topics such as:
(i)Customizing security training and awareness programs based on roles and responsibilities
(ii)Conducting thorough assessments of incident response capabilities through the framework
(iii)Integrating threat intelligence derived from ATT&CK to continuously improve the security posture"
Threat modeling is about thinking what bad can happen and what can you do about it. It can also find logical flaws and reveal problems in the architecture or software development practices. These vulnerabilities cannot usually be found by technical testing.
Threat modeling helps you deliver better software, prioritize your preventive security measures, and focus your penetration testing to the most risky parts of the system. The beauty of threat modeling is that you can assess security already in the design phase. In addition, it is something every team member can participate in because it doesn't require any source code, special skills, or tools. Threat modeling is for everyone: developers, testers, product owners, and project managers.
The presentation covers various methods, such as the STRIDE model, for finding security and privacy threats. You will also learn to analyze use cases for finding business level threats. The presentation also includes practical tips for arranging threat workshops and representing your results.
This presentation was held in the Diana Initiative 2018 and Nixucon 2018 conferences.
Cloud Governance & DevOps: Must-have Tools on Your Journey to Azure CloudPredica Group
Are you planning to migrate your IT environment from on-prem to the Microsoft Azure cloud? Or maybe you've already started, found it challenging, and need tools to help you along?
We understand that the journey from on-prem to the cloud is no cakewalk. Fortunately, we’ve done this a few times and want to share our expertise with you. We’ll introduce two key concepts: Cloud Governance and DevOps. These tools and processes will help you overcome your challenges and help you prepare for the complex journey ahead.
What are Cloud Governance and Dev Ops and how will they help your organization succeed?
Check out the presentation and watch the full webinar led by Microsoft-certified MVPs and cloud migration experts! http://bit.ly/35qvoPk
Microservices Architectures: Become a Unicorn like Netflix, Twitter and Hailogjuljo
Full day workshop about Microservices Architectures, from the basis to advanced topics like Service Discovery, Load Balancing, Fault Tolerance and Centralized Logging.
Many technologies are involved, like Spring Cloud Netflix, Docker, Cloud Foundry and ELK.
A separate deck describes all the lab exercises.
Slide on Cloud Security. This defines the possible aspects on Cloud Security. Images are taken from different Websites which are mentioned on references section.
End-to-End Analysis of a Domain Generating Algorithm Malware FamilyCrowdStrike
Select malware families have used Domain Generating Algorithms (DGAs) over the past few years in an effort to evade traditional domain blacklists, allow for fast-flux domain registration and usage, and evade analysts’ abilities to predict attackers’ control servers. While novel work has been done by both private industry and academia with respect to detecting DGA-related network traffic, this presentation demonstrates end-to-end analysis of a DGA malware family, from binary deobfuscation to DGA analysis, to sinkholing, to domain registrant research, to attribution of the malware’s author and accomplices.
The malware family discussed in this presentation has thousands of active variants currently running on the Internet and has managed to stay off of the radar of all antivirus firms. Missed this presentation at Black Hat 2013? Take a look at the slides from Jason Geffner's session. This presentation brought to light how this malware is tied to an underground campaign that has been active for at least the past six years.
Cloud Security is critical to Data Security and Application Resilience against CyberAttacks. This talk looks at Security Best Practices that need to be practised.
This talk was presented at AWS Community Day Bengaluru 2019 by Amar Prusty, Cloud-Data Center Consultant Architect, DXC Technology
One Leg to Stand on: Adventures in Adversary Tracking with ATT&CKMITRE ATT&CK
From ATT&CKcon 4.0
By Nicole Hoffman and James Nutland, Cisco
How many times have you added MITRE ATT&CK techniques to the end of a report and thought you could be doing more? Even though ATT&CK has become an industry standard for cyber threat intelligence reporting, all too often, techniques are thrown at the bottoms of reports and blogs without any context never to be seen again after dissemination. This is not useful for intelligence producers or consumers. Avast ye maties! Within this presentation, we are going to show analysts how they can use ATT&CK as a guideline for creating a contextual knowledge base for adversary tracking. Gone are the days of floundering about looking for information collected about a specific adversary or behavior. Gone are the days of wondering why the rum and context are always gone. Ahoy, me hearties! Hoist up the sails and prepare your sea legs for some swashbuckling adversary tales from the high seas where we will focus on the fickle commodity loader, Qakbot.
Simplifying MBSE Tasks with Capella and MapleMBSEObeo
Discover how to use Excel-based interfaces to collaborate on Capella models
MapleMBSE 2020.1 adds support for Capella. Organizations using Capella can now edit models within MapleMBSE, allowing them to simplify MBSE tasks and increase engagement with MBSE processes at their company.
During this webinar, you will see how to work with a Capella systems model using MapleMBSE
The demonstration will highlight how all stakeholders can collaborate through the systems model using task-specific, Excel-based interfaces found in MapleMBSE.
SOA, service-oriented architectures, burst on the scene in the new millennium as the latest technology to support application growth. In concert with the Web, SOA ushered in new paradigms for structuring enterprise applications.
At the Forward Internet Group in London, we are implementing SOA in unusual ways. Rather than a few, businessrelated services being implemented per the original vision, we have developed systems made of myriads of very small, usually shortlived services.
In this workshop, we will start by exploring the evolution of SOA implementations by the speaker. In particular, lessons learned from each implementation will be discussed, and reapplication of these lessons on the next implementation. Challenges (and even failures) will be explicitly identified.
We will arrive at a model of the current systems: An environment of very small services that are loosely coupled into a complex system. We explore the demise of acceptance tests in this complex environment, and the clever replacement of business metrics in their stead.
Finally, we will conclude with the surprising programmer development process impacts of this architecture. Indeed, bedrock principles of Agile have been rendered unnecessary, something that equally surprised us. (Presented at Agile India 2013)
In this session jointly organized by Biqmind & Cloud Native Singapore, I discuss how to use Velero for data migration and disaster recovery, the challenges and approaches. I also do a demo of CAPE, a cloud-native tool by Biqmind that extends the capabilities of Velero for Kubernetes multi-cluster application and data management.
SOC Lessons from DevOps and SRE by Anton ChuvakinAnton Chuvakin
SOC Lessons from DevOps and SRE by Dr Anton Chuvakin - RSA 2023 Google Cloud sideshow presentation focused on using select DevOps and SRE lessons to make your SOC better
Cyberspace is the new battlefield:
We’re seeing attacks on civilians and organizations from nation states. Attacks are no longer just against governments or enterprise systems directly. We’re seeing attacks against private property—the mobile devices we carry around everyday, the laptop on our desks—and public infrastructure. What started a decade-and-a-half ago as a sense that there were some teenagers in the basement hacking their way has moved far beyond that. It has morphed into sophisticated international organized crime and, worse, sophisticated nation state attacks.
Personnel and resources are limited:
According to an annual survey of 620 IT professional across North America and Western Europe from ESG, 51% respondents claim their organization had a problem of shortage of cybersecurity skills—up from 23% in 2014.1 The security landscape is getting more complicated and the stakes are rising, but many enterprises don’t have the resources they need to meet their security needs.
Virtually anything can be corrupted:
The number of connected devices in 2018 is predict to top 11 billion – not including computers and phones. As we connect virtually everything, anything can be disrupted. Everything from the cloud to the edge needs to be considered and protected.2
This Cloud Security tutorial shall first address the question whether Cloud Security is really a concern among companies which are making a move to the cloud. The tutorial also discusses the process of troubleshooting a problem in the cloud. This tutorial is ideal for people who are planning to make a career shift in the cloud industry. Below are the topics covered in this tutorial:
1. Why and What of Cloud Security?
2. Private, Public or Hybrid
3. Is Cloud Security really a concern?
4. How secure should you make your application?
5. Troubleshooting a threat in the Cloud
6. Cloud Security in AWS
Threat modeling is about thinking what bad can happen and what can you do about it. It can also find logical flaws and reveal problems in the architecture or software development practices. These vulnerabilities cannot usually be found by technical testing.
Threat modeling helps you deliver better software, prioritize your preventive security measures, and focus your penetration testing to the most risky parts of the system. The beauty of threat modeling is that you can assess security already in the design phase. In addition, it is something every team member can participate in because it doesn't require any source code, special skills, or tools. Threat modeling is for everyone: developers, testers, product owners, and project managers.
The presentation covers various methods, such as the STRIDE model, for finding security and privacy threats. You will also learn to analyze use cases for finding business level threats. The presentation also includes practical tips for arranging threat workshops and representing your results.
This presentation was held in the Diana Initiative 2018 and Nixucon 2018 conferences.
Cloud Governance & DevOps: Must-have Tools on Your Journey to Azure CloudPredica Group
Are you planning to migrate your IT environment from on-prem to the Microsoft Azure cloud? Or maybe you've already started, found it challenging, and need tools to help you along?
We understand that the journey from on-prem to the cloud is no cakewalk. Fortunately, we’ve done this a few times and want to share our expertise with you. We’ll introduce two key concepts: Cloud Governance and DevOps. These tools and processes will help you overcome your challenges and help you prepare for the complex journey ahead.
What are Cloud Governance and Dev Ops and how will they help your organization succeed?
Check out the presentation and watch the full webinar led by Microsoft-certified MVPs and cloud migration experts! http://bit.ly/35qvoPk
Microservices Architectures: Become a Unicorn like Netflix, Twitter and Hailogjuljo
Full day workshop about Microservices Architectures, from the basis to advanced topics like Service Discovery, Load Balancing, Fault Tolerance and Centralized Logging.
Many technologies are involved, like Spring Cloud Netflix, Docker, Cloud Foundry and ELK.
A separate deck describes all the lab exercises.
Slide on Cloud Security. This defines the possible aspects on Cloud Security. Images are taken from different Websites which are mentioned on references section.
End-to-End Analysis of a Domain Generating Algorithm Malware FamilyCrowdStrike
Select malware families have used Domain Generating Algorithms (DGAs) over the past few years in an effort to evade traditional domain blacklists, allow for fast-flux domain registration and usage, and evade analysts’ abilities to predict attackers’ control servers. While novel work has been done by both private industry and academia with respect to detecting DGA-related network traffic, this presentation demonstrates end-to-end analysis of a DGA malware family, from binary deobfuscation to DGA analysis, to sinkholing, to domain registrant research, to attribution of the malware’s author and accomplices.
The malware family discussed in this presentation has thousands of active variants currently running on the Internet and has managed to stay off of the radar of all antivirus firms. Missed this presentation at Black Hat 2013? Take a look at the slides from Jason Geffner's session. This presentation brought to light how this malware is tied to an underground campaign that has been active for at least the past six years.
Cloud Security is critical to Data Security and Application Resilience against CyberAttacks. This talk looks at Security Best Practices that need to be practised.
This talk was presented at AWS Community Day Bengaluru 2019 by Amar Prusty, Cloud-Data Center Consultant Architect, DXC Technology
One Leg to Stand on: Adventures in Adversary Tracking with ATT&CKMITRE ATT&CK
From ATT&CKcon 4.0
By Nicole Hoffman and James Nutland, Cisco
How many times have you added MITRE ATT&CK techniques to the end of a report and thought you could be doing more? Even though ATT&CK has become an industry standard for cyber threat intelligence reporting, all too often, techniques are thrown at the bottoms of reports and blogs without any context never to be seen again after dissemination. This is not useful for intelligence producers or consumers. Avast ye maties! Within this presentation, we are going to show analysts how they can use ATT&CK as a guideline for creating a contextual knowledge base for adversary tracking. Gone are the days of floundering about looking for information collected about a specific adversary or behavior. Gone are the days of wondering why the rum and context are always gone. Ahoy, me hearties! Hoist up the sails and prepare your sea legs for some swashbuckling adversary tales from the high seas where we will focus on the fickle commodity loader, Qakbot.
Simplifying MBSE Tasks with Capella and MapleMBSEObeo
Discover how to use Excel-based interfaces to collaborate on Capella models
MapleMBSE 2020.1 adds support for Capella. Organizations using Capella can now edit models within MapleMBSE, allowing them to simplify MBSE tasks and increase engagement with MBSE processes at their company.
During this webinar, you will see how to work with a Capella systems model using MapleMBSE
The demonstration will highlight how all stakeholders can collaborate through the systems model using task-specific, Excel-based interfaces found in MapleMBSE.
SOA, service-oriented architectures, burst on the scene in the new millennium as the latest technology to support application growth. In concert with the Web, SOA ushered in new paradigms for structuring enterprise applications.
At the Forward Internet Group in London, we are implementing SOA in unusual ways. Rather than a few, businessrelated services being implemented per the original vision, we have developed systems made of myriads of very small, usually shortlived services.
In this workshop, we will start by exploring the evolution of SOA implementations by the speaker. In particular, lessons learned from each implementation will be discussed, and reapplication of these lessons on the next implementation. Challenges (and even failures) will be explicitly identified.
We will arrive at a model of the current systems: An environment of very small services that are loosely coupled into a complex system. We explore the demise of acceptance tests in this complex environment, and the clever replacement of business metrics in their stead.
Finally, we will conclude with the surprising programmer development process impacts of this architecture. Indeed, bedrock principles of Agile have been rendered unnecessary, something that equally surprised us. (Presented at Agile India 2013)
In this session jointly organized by Biqmind & Cloud Native Singapore, I discuss how to use Velero for data migration and disaster recovery, the challenges and approaches. I also do a demo of CAPE, a cloud-native tool by Biqmind that extends the capabilities of Velero for Kubernetes multi-cluster application and data management.
SOC Lessons from DevOps and SRE by Anton ChuvakinAnton Chuvakin
SOC Lessons from DevOps and SRE by Dr Anton Chuvakin - RSA 2023 Google Cloud sideshow presentation focused on using select DevOps and SRE lessons to make your SOC better
Cyberspace is the new battlefield:
We’re seeing attacks on civilians and organizations from nation states. Attacks are no longer just against governments or enterprise systems directly. We’re seeing attacks against private property—the mobile devices we carry around everyday, the laptop on our desks—and public infrastructure. What started a decade-and-a-half ago as a sense that there were some teenagers in the basement hacking their way has moved far beyond that. It has morphed into sophisticated international organized crime and, worse, sophisticated nation state attacks.
Personnel and resources are limited:
According to an annual survey of 620 IT professional across North America and Western Europe from ESG, 51% respondents claim their organization had a problem of shortage of cybersecurity skills—up from 23% in 2014.1 The security landscape is getting more complicated and the stakes are rising, but many enterprises don’t have the resources they need to meet their security needs.
Virtually anything can be corrupted:
The number of connected devices in 2018 is predict to top 11 billion – not including computers and phones. As we connect virtually everything, anything can be disrupted. Everything from the cloud to the edge needs to be considered and protected.2
This Cloud Security tutorial shall first address the question whether Cloud Security is really a concern among companies which are making a move to the cloud. The tutorial also discusses the process of troubleshooting a problem in the cloud. This tutorial is ideal for people who are planning to make a career shift in the cloud industry. Below are the topics covered in this tutorial:
1. Why and What of Cloud Security?
2. Private, Public or Hybrid
3. Is Cloud Security really a concern?
4. How secure should you make your application?
5. Troubleshooting a threat in the Cloud
6. Cloud Security in AWS
The PPT is intended to provide an open discussion on the subject matter covered in the 30 + slides.The knowledge collected and shared here has culminated from thousands of hours with SMEs and practitioners dedicated to the transformation of the power grid, the creation of an industrial internet and finally putting this knowledge to practical use so that a knowledge economy can be realized and sustained for all.
The challenges are daunting but not impossible to overcome.Change is needed in how we solve such complex problems by actively seeking new pathways that are less traveled. One only needs to draw from the courage one needs to take the first step in a thousand mile journey.
Iia 2012 Spring Conference Philly V FinalDanny Miller
Presentation given to the IIA 2012 Spring Conference on Emerging Technology Challenges for Internal Auditors. Includes discussion on Cloud Security,Mobile Device Security, PCI, Data Governance and Privacy.
IBM Global Financing can tailor financing solutions to your specific IT needs. For more information on great rates, flexible payment plans and loans, and asset buyback and disposal
In recent years, cloud computing environments have been gaining popularity. In the IBM Global CIO Study 2009, when asked about their most important visionary initiatives, cloud computing was cited by more than one-third of CIOs as being among the most important.
ZK Research: Virtual Infrastructure Creates Communications AgilityAvaya Inc.
The role of the CIO has changed more in the past five years than any other position in the corporate world. Historically, the CIO and IT department has been responsible for managing and running the technology infrastructure and has had little to do with augmenting the business. Today, IT leaders are tasked with deploying technology to drive the business and be a catalyst for change.
Similar to L17 CS5032 critical infrastructure (20)
Discusses sociotechnical issues that arose in the design of a national digital learning system intended for use by more than a million students and their teachers
2. What is infrastructure
• All modern societies and
businesses are dependent upon
an underlying infrastructure:
power, water, waste disposal,
the internet, transport networks,
financial services, emergency
services, hospitals etc.
• This infrastructure is shared by
all elements of business and
society
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 2
3. Critical systems of systems
• Why is this being covered in a computer science
course on critical systems:
– Our infrastructure is controlled and managed by a wide range
of interacting, computer-based system
– Businesses and essential services to citizens are completely
dependent on our ‘digital infrastructure’
– Therefore, all of the systems involved in infrastructure
management are critical systems
• We cannot consider these critical systems in isolation
but must also consider their interactions. We are
therefore concerned with critical systems of systems
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 3
4. Public infrastructure
• The national infrastructure
comprises networks,
systems, sites, facilities
and businesses that
deliver goods and services
to citizens, and support
our economy, environment
and social well-being.
• Includes systems and
services such as
transport, energy,
computing,
communications, finance,
health care, etc.
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 4
5. Organisational infrastructure
• Supply chain and external
information systems on
which an organisation
depends
• Digital infrastructure within
the organisation
(servers, networks, etc.)
• Shared business services
such as accounting and
purchasing
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 5
6. Infrastructure characteristics
Large Scale
• Spread over large geographic areas
• Regional/National/International
– Complex
• Many components
• Many interdependencies (internal and external)
– Reliance on standards
• Heterogeneous parts rely on standards for interoperation
• Standards are not always uniformly applied across an infrastructure
– Long term
• Modern and legacy components
• Emerges and changes over the long term
• We have to live with decisions made a long time ago
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 6
7. Digital infrastructure
• Hardware and software
systems and networks on
which businesses and
society depends
– Fibre communication links
– Mobile phone and data network
– Data centres and servers
– ISPs
• Now, almost universally,
other infrastructure
components depend on the
Critical infrastructure, 2013
digital infrastructure to deliver
Slide 7
their services
8. Infrastructure ownership
• Rarely one single owner and
authority
• Sub-systems and components
are increasingly privatised
– The theory is that privately
operated infrastructure will be
more efficient
– However it is difficult to optimise
an infrastructure when sections of
it are run by self interested
parties
• Crosses national and
Critical infrastructure, 2013 international boundaries Slide 8
9. Infrastructure funding
• Infrastructure replacement is
very expensive
• We (and governments) are
often reluctant to pay for
infrastructure
• Where monopolies exist
they are able to over-
charge.
• However, competition
where operational costs are
low can lead to under-
Critical infrastructure, 2013 charging (and no re- Slide 9
10. Critical infrastructure
• Assets which are part of the national and
organisational infrastructure whose availability is
essential to the delivery of infrastructure services
and whose unavailability has significant human,
social and economic consequences.
• Critical infrastructure includes
– Structures
– Networks
– Systems
– Organisations
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 10
11. Landline Phones
Mobile Telecommunications Production
Postal Services Processing
Communications Import
Broadcast Communications
Distribution
Food Retail
Ambulance
Fire and Rescue Electricity
Emergency Services
Marine Gas Payment, Clearing
Police Oil and Settlement
Energy
Fuel Systems
Public Finances
Finance Markets and
Central Government
Exchanges
Parliament
Government
Devolved Administrations
Regional and Local Authorities
Health Maritime
Health and Social Care Aviation
Transport Land (Road and rail)
Potable water supply
Water Dams
Waste Water
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Services Slide 11
12. Critical assets
• Not all components of
the national
infrastructure are critical
• Does not just depend on
the type of facility but
also on the number of
people affected or other
consequences of
unavailability
– London Heathrow airport
is a critical asset
– Dundee Airport is not a
Critical infrastructure, 2013 critical asset Slide 12
13. Infrastructure dependencies
• Infrastructure
elements are often
dependent on each
other so that failure of
one element may be
caused by failure of
some other element
elsewhere
Internet services delivered by an ISP depend on communication
services from a telecomms company and power from an electricity
company
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 13
14. Understanding dependencies
• Functional: Reliance between components.
• Informational: Data flow from one node aides decision making
elsewhere.
• Shared Control: Control is from the same system/location
• Geospatial: Physical proximity
• Purpose: A shared function or purpose
• Policy/procedural: A change in policy or procedure at one place
may have effects elsewhere.
• Societal Interdependency: Changes to one component may
have societal effects which lead to changes to others
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 14
15. Cascade failure
• A failure in one area cascades to another
infrastructure sector, causing failures and
disruption, sometimes in quite unrelated areas
• Failure of flood defences results in an electricity sub-
station being flooded
• Leads to a loss of power in the local area
• An ISP in that area goes offline, leading to a loss of
internet service to customers who may be anywhere
in the country.
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 15
16. Mutual dependencies
• Mutual dependencies
cause major problems in
the event of failure
• Example
– Communications systems
depend on power
– Power recovery depends on
communications
– Power failure that leads to
loss of comms is difficult to
recover from
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 16
17. Single point of failure
• Several services share
some facility so that
failure at that facility
leads to a loss of all of
these services.
• Examples
– Power and
communication cables
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brizo_th in the same duct
e_scot/3736542522/
– Transport, communicati
on, power use the
same bridge to cross a
river
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 17
18. Protecting and assuring
infrastructure
A difficult problem
– Infrastructure is rarely under individual control
– Infrastructure is large scale
• Assurance takes place through governance processes and risk
management
– Identify key components
– Identify vulnerabilities
– Identify threats
– Construct risk models
– Assess possible outcomes from loss
– Make/request/lobby for necessary improvements
– Make contingency plans
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 18
20. Vulnerabilities
• Lack of knowledge of infrastructure state and
dependencies
• Old, insecure systems used for infrastructure control
• Capacity planning based on outdated assumptions
• Geographically distributed infrastructure cannot be
physically secured
• Lack of coordinated infrastructure management
• Physical location of some facilities (flood plain)
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 20
22. Resistance
• Provide protection
against anticipated
events or attacks
• Based on previous
experience and
assumptions
• Changing world or
external circumstances
may mean that
assumptions are invalid
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 22
23. Reliability
• Infrastructure components
should be designed to
operate under a range of
(anticipated) conditions not
just ‘normal’ operating
conditions
• Components, as far as
possible, should be
designed for
‘soft’, incremental rather
than catastrophic failure
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 23
24. Redundancy
• The network or system
as a whole should be
designed so that there
are backup installations
and spare capacity
available.
• Computing support
should be provided by
different providers in
different locations
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 24
25. Response and recovery
• Respond to
distruptive events
quickly, limiting the
damage as far as
possible and
ensuring public
safety
• Plan how to restore
services as quickly
as possible in the
event of a loss of
capability
Critical infrastructure, 2013 Slide 25
26. Key points
• Infrastructure is critical to business, security, health,
society.
• We are increasingly reliant on digital infrastructure.
• Infrastructure is large scale, complex, has modern
and legacy components, and many
interdependencies.
• Securing infrastructure is a hard problem
• Hard to know what you have
• Hard to assess vulnerabilities
• Difficult to make improvements because infrastructure is
Critical infrastructure, 2013
rarely under direct control of those it is critical to Slide 26
Editor's Notes
Need to think of examples for each of these for the lecture