- Critical Systems Support Life as We Know It
- Critical Systems Depend on Solid State Controls (SCADA Systems)
- Damage to SCADA Systems Has Far-Reaching Consequences
- Everything BreaksEventually
- Critical Systems Are Interdependent
- Modeling and Planning Tools Lag the Threat
- We Can Refer to Past Practices, To an Extent
- Worried Enough Yet? Consider Solar Storms
- Summary
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Modeling and Planning Tools Lag the Threat
No currently available modeling and simulation tools exist that can adequately address the consequences of disruptions occurring simultaneously in critical infrastructures that are as dynamically interdependent as these are. While the federal government is supporting a number of initiatives to develop critical national infrastructure modeling and simulation capability as a national analysis and planning resource, these efforts regrettably are not high priorities.
However, the threat is real. In fact, some analytic work suggests that evolving interdependencies may be introducing new and potentially serious vulnerabilities, even without the precipitating catalyst of an EMP attack. As a result, future vulnerability analysis in this area must include strong interdependency modeling that transcends individual infrastructures. In addition, protective measures should be taken as SCADA systems come in to more and more widespread use.