Critical Infrastructures
Critical Infrastructures & Supply Chains
Critical infrastructure includes the vast network of highways, connecting bridges and tunnels, railways, utilities and buildings necessary to maintain normalcy in daily life. Transportation, commerce, clean water and electricity all rely on these vital systems.
There are 16 critical infrastructure sectors whose assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital to the Any Country that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof.
Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience advances a national policy to strengthen and maintain secure, functioning, and resilient critical infrastructure.
Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
The Department of Homeland Security is designated as the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Chemical Sector.
The Department of Homeland Security is designated as the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Commercial Facilities Sector, which includes a diverse range of sites that draw large crowds of people for shopping, business, entertainment, or lodging.
The Communications Sector is an integral component of the U.S. economy, underlying the operations of all businesses, public safety organizations, and government. The Department of Homeland Security is the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Communications Sector.
The Department of Homeland Security is designated as the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Critical Manufacturing Sector.
The Department of Homeland Security is designated as the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Dams Sector. The Dams Sector comprises dam projects, navigation locks, levees, hurricane barriers, mine tailings impoundments, and other similar water retention and/or control facilities.
The U.S. Department of Defense is the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Defense Industrial Base Sector. The Defense Industrial Base Sector enables research, development, design, production, delivery, and maintenance of military weapons systems, subsystems, and components or parts to meet U.S. military requirements.
The Department of Homeland Security is designated as the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Emergency Services Sector. The sector provides a wide range of prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery services during both day-to-day operations and incident response.
The U.S. energy infrastructure fuels the economy of the 21st century. The Department of Energy is the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Energy Sector.
The Department of the Treasury is designated as the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Financial Services Sector.
The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services are designated as the co-Sector-Risk Management Agencies for the Food and Agriculture Sector.
The Department of Homeland Security and the General Services Administration are designated as the Co-Sector Risk Management Agencies for the Government Facilities Sector.
The Department of Health and Human Services is designated as the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Healthcare and Public Health Sector.
The Department of Homeland Security is designated as the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Information Technology Sector.
The Department of Homeland Security is designated as the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste Sector.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation are designated as the Co-Sector-Specific Agencies for the Transportation Systems Sector.
The Environmental Protection Agency is designated as the Sector Risk Management Agency for the Water and Wastewater Systems Sector.
EUROPA: Critical infrastructure protection
The power grid, the transport network and information and communication systems are among the so-called "critical infrastructures", which are essential to maintain vital societal functions. Damage or destruction of critical infrastructures by natural disasters, terrorism and criminal activity may have negative consequences for the security of the EU and the well-being of its citizens.
To reduce the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructures, the European Commission has launched the European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection (EPCIP). This is a package of measures aimed at improving the protection of critical infrastructure in Europe, across all EU States and in all relevant sectors of economic activity. The EU initiative on Critical Information Infrastructure Protection (CIIP) aims to strengthen the security and resilience of vital Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructures.
In support of EU efforts to protect critical infrastructures, the JRC coordinates the European Reference Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection (ERNCIP), provides technical support for the review of the Directive on European Critical Infrastructures and carries out different research activities such as the development of methods and tools for international cyber security exercises, the assessment of the vulnerability of networked infrastructures in case of extreme space weather events, and the evaluation of the resistance of buildings and transport systems against explosions.
More information
Directorate General for Home Affairs – Critical Infrastructure
European Reference Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection (ERNCIP)
The European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection (EPCIP) is a framework under which various measures together aim to improve the protection of critical infrastructure in the EU. These measures include the establishment of the European Reference Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection (ERNCIP), coordinated by the JRC.
ERNCIP provides a framework within which experimental facilities and laboratories can share knowledge and expertise in order to better align test protocols throughout Europe, leading to better protection of critical infrastructures against all types of threats and hazards.
More information: European Reference Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection
Resilience analysis of critical infrastructures
Improving resilience of critical infrastructures has become a priority for the authorities around the globe. Emerging threats, as well as unconventional attacks to critical infrastructures have exposed the limits of traditional risk assessment and risk mitigation efforts. Some threats cannot be foreseen, while reducing all possible risks at the minimum possible level is not always cost effective. This has shifted the attention towards resilience in order to reassure service continuity in the aftermath of destructive events especially in cases when these can not be predicted.
In order to assess the performance of technological systems taking into account their interdependencies across sectors and across borders and quantify the economic impact of disruption of critical infrastructures on society, the JRC has developed several tools and methodologies (e.g. GRRASP) and has published several scientific publications in these fields.
Protecting communications and navigation infrastructures
Global navigation systems, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Galileo in the coming years, have become primary source of precise position and timing information, critical to safe operation of a number of critical infrastructures like the power grid, telecom networks, financial systems, etc.
The European Microwave Signature Laboratory: securing Galileo through tests and measurements
The JRC works on the detection and mitigation of radio frequency threats against jamming and spoofing of these navigation satellite systems, as well as unintentional interference of space weather events, such as solar storms, that can cripple critical infrastructures.
Space weather impact on critical infrastructure
The JRC explores the potential impact of space weather on global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers, which are used in a large number of critical networked infrastructure, such as fixed and wireless networks (including the internet), the power grid, and transport. In this context, the JRC is testing a broad range of commercial GNSS timing receivers to assess their resilience to various types of interference scenarios and has installed a monitoring station in Peru to record the intensity of severe ionospheric scintillation in the GNSS bands. This will allow the creation of an empirical scintillation library used to test the robustness of commercial receivers. The JRC is also collaborating with international partners to improve the understanding of the space-weather impact on critical infrastructure and raise awareness of the related potential risks.
Space weather effects on satellites
In 2011, the Council asked the Commission to develop an overview of natural and man-made disaster risks the EU may face in the future. Several member states identified Space Weather as one of those. In case of an intense solar storm, satellites would be among the infrastructures at a higher risk, since they are away from the protection that the Earth’s magnetic field offers. To assess this risk, the JRC initiated studies to evaluate the impact that adverse Space Weather would generate on European space assets. JRC scientists have modelled how extreme Space Weather events may look like, and which would be their impact on satellite subsystems in terms of ionizing dose, non-ionizing dose, solar array degradation, single event effects and internal charging.
Protecting buildings from explosions, impacts and blasts
The JRC works on the physical protection of critical infrastructures under certain types of intentional threats or accidents, such as explosions, impacts and blast waves. Vulnerabilities of buildings are identified and classified via proper material modelling, structural mechanics and numerical simulation techniques.
More information
EUROPA: Security of the supply chain
Today in the world millions of shipping containers constantly travel and cross national borders. Cargo containers are considered as a weak link in the supply chain as they can be potentially exploited to defraud customs, introduce illicit cargo and breach security protocols. Within this context, a number of national and international programmes and agreements have been drafted to limit the potential for miss-use of intermodal containers.
The JRC is studying the feasibility of deploying new technologies, such as the use of composite materials fitted with embedded sensors which can detect possible threats and wirelessly communicate their status to competent authorities. The aim is to improve security and ease customs operations, allowing a more comprehensive monitoring without manual inspection or screening.
With this context, the JRC provides direct support to the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union in matters relating to Risk Management and Security of the Supply Chain, underpinning the international agreements between EU and international counterparts, such as the EU-USA Joint Statement on Supply Chain Security of 2011.
The development of multifunctional composite containers requires technical advances in many different fields (e.g. electronics, structural mechanics, and energy harvesting techniques), as well as developments in materials science combined with advanced design and production of composite elements.
The JRC is active in the following research areas:
EU policy and techno-economic aspects of intermodal container shipping
composite materials
sensor networks deployment
data analysis.
The aim is to design and develop sturdy and commercially viable prototypes that would allow the relevant authorities to ascertain more easily the security status of containers and their contents.
The combination of the structural manufacturing and design flexibility of advanced composites, allied to the wide variety of miniaturized sensor technologies, opens up the possibility of manufacturing multi-functional structural components that had, hitherto, not been possible.
Composite Materials
In the area of composites materials technologies, the research takes advantage of the JRC’s past experience in composite materials to develop embedded piezo-polymer systems and test their capacity to detect and wirelessly transmit relevant mechanical and thermal perturbations of containers.
In parallel to these experiments, in 2014 a prototype modular container was designed and assembled to study the development of economically viable fully composite containers. At the ELSA Laboratory a nearly 100% composite container was developed and is under testing.
The potential techno-economic implications in the event of manufacturing millions of composite containers and the implications for costing of such containers and the prospect for European Industry are also considered.
Wireless sensors network
The current research not only considers the development of the composite-embedded sensors, per se, but also the manner in which these systems would act, communicate and interact as part of a network. The types of networks of interconnected ‘smart’ containers are investigated with tests on distributed wireless sensor networks using low-cost controllers.
In order to obtain a more generic overview of the complexity arising when considering thousands of interconnected sensors in a network, a mathematical approach was developed by applying the JRC's expertise in the analysis of complex systems and physical networks. Topological and combinatorial analyses of network connectivity are used to understand the percolation of connectivity in large networks.
REF: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/research-topic/security-supply-chain
Projects & Programs
Ciberseguridad Cuántica
Quantum CYBERSECURITY SolutionsSoluciones de Criptografía y Ciberseguridad, aplicadas a las redes de telecomunicaciones, datos, hardware y software de las FFSS.
Objetivo: Minimizar las situaciones relacionadas con ciberataques no deseados a las redes de datos y comunicaciones de las FFSS.
Infraestructura Crítica - Data.link
Critical Infrastructure Quantum Data.LinkSistema de comunicaciones y datos cuánticos ultra seguro, para las redes de comunicaciones y datos de la infraestructura crítica nacional.
Objetivo: Minimizar las situaciones relacionadas con los ciberataques no deseados, a las redes de datos y comunicaciones de las Infraestructuras Críticas.
Telefonía Móvil Ultra Segura
Quantum Secure MOBILE PHONENuevo sistema propio de telecomunicaciones para las fuerzas de seguridad, ultra seguras, inhackeables, de alcance ilimitado e instantáneas.
Objetivo: Nueva Capacidad Avanzada y Disruptiva de Comunicaciones Propia de las FFSS Argentinas, basada en tecnología cuántica Inhackeable.
Normativa Cuántica Nacional
REF: Quantum Initiative ActNormativa de apoyo e impulso al desarrollo de nuevas verticales cuánticas, dentro de cada empresa, organismo e institución nacional.
Objetivo: Crear y Desarrollar nuevas verticales cuánticas, y la formación y capacitación de los recursos humanos en las tecnologías disruptivas basadas en los principios de la mecánica cuántica.
Quantum Satellite to Key Delivery
Satelite para Distribución de Clave CuánticaNuevo Satelite (Qubesat) que brindará el Servicio de distribución de claves cuánticas, mediante fotones entrelazados.
Objetivo: Nuevo Satélite Comercial para la distribución satelital de Claves cuánticas, entre distintas estaciones ópticas terrestres [OGS], mediante fotones entrelazados.
Quantum Space Communications
TeleComunicaciones CuánticasSistema de Telecomunicaciones Cuánticas espaciales. Comunicación instantánea, sin imite de ancho de banda, ni ruido, y de alcance ilimitado.
Objetivo: Nuevo Sistema de Telecomunicaciones cuánticas espaciales aplicables a la colonización planetaria, minería espacial, viajes espaciales, Comunicación Espacial, etc..
Fronteras Seguras DATA.LINK
Advanced Surveillance Quantum Data.LinkSistema Multi-Dominio de Comando, Control, Comunicaciones y Cómputo de Fronteras, basado en comunicaciones cuánticas inhackeable.
Objetivo: Nueva Capacidad Avanzada y Disruptiva de Comunicaciones y Datos de las FFSS Argentinas, basada en tecnología cuántica Inhackeable.
PESCA & MAR: Secure DATA.LINK
MARITIME & FISHING DATA.LINKSistema Multi-Dominio de Comando, Control, Comunicaciones y Cómputo Marítimo, basado en comunicaciones cuánticas inhackeable.
Objetivo: Nueva Capacidad Avanzada y Disruptiva de Comunicaciones y Datos de las FFSS Argentinas, basada en tecnología cuántica Inhackeable.
Tránsito y Transporte Seguro
Security Transport & Traffic DATA.LinkSistema de Comando, Control, Comunicaciones y Cómputo de Transporte y Tránsito, basado en comunicaciones cuánticas inhackeable.
Objetivo: Nueva Capacidad Avanzada y Disruptiva de Comunicaciones y Datos de las FFSS Argentinas, basada en tecnología cuántica Inhackeable.
CIBER DEFENSE
Cyber Security DATA.Link
