Cyber security and global interdependence: What is critical?

The evolution of interconnection between infrastructure sectors has been accelerated by the spread of cyberspace, which has become the 'nervous system' linking them. There is no avoiding the security implications emerging at the intersection of cyberspace and infrastructure.

As countries become more dependent on infrastructure distributed around the world, the growing complexity of interconnections makes it harder for authorities to identify what infrastructure is 'critical'.

Improving risk management relies on using rigorous definitions of what infrastructure is 'critical', which enables more effective prioritisation and protection of nodes and connection points. In this context, the ever-rising importance of data makes distinctions between 'physical' and 'information' infrastructure increasingly irrelevant ... READ MORE

Released by Chatham House - February 2013