Critical Infrastructure Threats and Terrorism

Hacktivists usually have a political motive for their activities, which include defacing opponents' websites with counter-information or disinformation.The goal is to improve precautions and readiness for cyber attacks. The private sector is critical to defense missions because it provides the equipment, materials, services, and weaponry for our military. Thus, the Department of Defense has also increased protection efforts for this Defense Industrial Base. Though many of the infrastructures that could be targeted by cyber attacks are within the civilian sector, the military is dependent on these critical functions. An attack on the rail system could impact movement of equipment; an attack on a power substation could impact loading operations; and disruption of the telecommunications system would impact the command and control of the operations. The transportation sector includes aviation, rail pipelines, highawys, trucking and busing, and public mass transit. Transportation is crucial to our economy and security, as transportation is connected to every other sector of the economy. While our transportation system is vast, there are various choke-points that could be devastated by an attack. A cyber attack that shuts down a railway would not only hinder the transportation of goods throughout our economy, but also would hinder the movement of troops across the country for national defense. The water sector, which includes fresh water supply and wastewater collection, is critical for both public health and the economy. The nation's water systems can include reseroirs, dams, wells, aquifers, treatment facilities, pumping stations, aqueducts and transmission pipelines, as well as 800,000+ miles of sewer lines.