Securing our nation’s critical infrastructure may seem a bit “off topic” compared to the previous cybersecurity weeks posted. Involta is the critical infrastructure for clients in almost every critical sector. We provide infrastructure and services for very important vertical markets like healthcare, finance, and communications. Understanding this connection is an important insight to our role in maintaining both our client’s and country’s critical infrastructure. Here is how the role critical infrastructure plays in your daily routine.
For National Cybersecurity Awareness Month the National Cybersecurity Alliance issued the following article that highlights this topic.
National Cybersecurity Alliance
Our day-to-day life depends on the country’s 16 sectors of critical infrastructure, which supply food, water, financial services, public health, communications, power along with other networks and systems. A disruption to this system, which is operated via the internet, can have significant and even catastrophic consequences for our nation and to our individual lives.
- The Energy Cycle – Whether you’re brewing your coffee or on your phone or TV catching up on the news, you’re like millions of other Americans using technology generated by the nation’s power grid.
- The Transportation Systems Sector – No one likes sitting in heavy traffic! If you’ve ever used a GPS navigation system to get real-time traffic updates you can thank the Transportation Systems Sector.
- The Agriculture Sector – Stomach growling for a tasty bit for lunch? Wherever you purchase food, The Food and Agriculture Sector relies on the latest technology to grow, package and distribute it to supermarkets and eateries.
- The Communications Sector – Those emails, texts and calls won’t answer themselves! From responding to your boss’ last-minute requests to keeping in touch with friends and family, the Communications Sector is helping you get the job done.
- The Financial Services Sector – Keeping your hard-earned salary safe is a top priority for not only your family but also the nation’s prosperity. With each deposit, transaction and payment, you’re connecting to the Financial Services Sector.
In conclusion…EVERYONE’s contributes to securing critical infrastructure. Here is how you can help keep these internet-dependent systems and networks safer:
- Keep a Clean Machine – Having the latest security software, web browser and operating system is best defense against viruses, malware and other online threats. Remember, mobile phones and tablets need updating too!
- Lock Down Your Login – Use strong authentication to protect access to accounts and ensure only those with permissions can access them. This can also be applied to your personal accounts such as email, banking, and social media.
- When in Doubt, Throw it Out – Whether during working hours or in their personal lives, employees should know not to open suspicious links in email, tweets, posts, online ads, messages or attachments – even if they know the source.
Safer for Me, More Secure for All – No individual, business or government entity is solely responsible for securing the internet. When we each use the internet safely, we make it more secure for everyone.
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