SC CIC’s mission is to secure the critical infrastructure in South Carolina and the first step in security is always to identify what you’re trying to protect.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) categorized critical infrastructure into 16 sectors, established in Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21): Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience, “whose assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof.”
SC CIC is committed to supporting this national mission by helping to protect these sectors from cybersecurity threats at the state and local levels. The 16 sectors are listed here with examples of each:
- Chemical
- Basic, specialty, and agricultural chemicals, consumer products
- Commercial Facilities
- Entertainment and media, gaming, lodging, outdoor events, public assembly, real estate, retail, sports leagues
- Communications
- Terrestrial, satellite, and wireless transmission systems
- Critical Manufacturing
- Primary metals, machinery, electrical equipment, appliance, and component, and transportation equipment manufacturing
- Dams
- Hydroelectric power generation, municipal and industrial water supplies, agricultural irrigation, sediment and flood control, industrial waste management, recreation
- Defense Industrial Base
- Military operation support: Research and Development (R&D), design, manufacture, system integration, depots, weapon system maintenance
- Emergency Services
- Emergency management, emergency medical services, fire and rescue, law enforcement, public works
- Energy
- Electricity, oil, natural gas
- Financial Services
- Depository institutions, providers of investment products, insurance companies, credit and financing organizations
- Food & Agriculture
- Farms, restaurants, food manufacturing, processing, storage
- Government Services & Facilities
- Federal, state, local, and tribal governments and facilities, elections, education, national monuments and icons
- Healthcare & Public Health
- Hospitals, emergency medical facilities, nursing homes, local and state health departments, research centers, healthcare suppliers and manufacturers, pharmaceuticals, labs, funerary services
- Information Technology
- Hardware, software, and semiconductor producers, consultants and service providers: Internet, data processing, cybersecurity
- Nuclear Reactors, Materials, & Waste
- Electrical power and fuel reactor plants, radioactive material handlers, research and testing
- Transportation Systems
- Aviation, highways, motor carriers, maritime transportation systems, railways, pipelines, postal and shipping services
- Water & Wastewater Systems
- Public drinking water systems, community water systems, wastewater treatment systems
Consisting of private and public organizations, critical infrastructure plays an integral role in the overall security posture of the United States and the continuation of the country’s supply chain. The continuous increase and ever-present nature of cyber-related threats must continuously be considered and mitigated. Each critical infrastructure sector faces unique threats, challenges, and resources that require the organization to remain adaptable, proactive, and cognizant.
For more information about the 16 critical infrastructure sectors, please visit the linked sector-specific webpages.