So You Connected What to the Internet? Critical Infrastructure, Cyber Attacks, and National Security

• In Event: Understanding Cybercrime and Criminal Justice Perspectives on Offending and Victimization

Abstract

Critical Infrastructure (CI) comprises the core services society relies on for smooth operation of our economy, communication, health and security. These systems used to be independently segregated from each other and the rest of the world, but these barriers slowly eroded with the management and communication advantages provided by connecting them to the internet. This proximity has created risk through increased attack surface making these critical infrastructures more vulnerable to cyber attacks. Organizations that respond to CI incidents and attacks may be able to provide basic descriptive statistics, but often have to keep the incident details confidential in order to protect national security. We created a database using publicly disclosed cyber attacks affecting the CI sectors of Energy, Water, Transportation, Agriculture, and Healthcare. These incidents were then analyzed across time, infrastructure, and attack types using multilevel modeling (n=1000). Presently the primary volume of critical infrastructure attacks fall under data breaches, but through analysis we can demonstrate the future implications as to how we should expect risks to evolve to provide improved risk mitigation and guidance going forward.

Authors

• Janice Paulson, Temple University

• Aunshul Rege, Temple University