The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the agency tasked with cyber defense and the national coordinator for critical infrastructure security, recently launched Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience (CISR) Month.
CISA uses CISR Month to educate and engage the American public, infrastructure owners and operators, and all levels of government on the role critical infrastructure plays in national security and the importance of strengthening critical infrastructure resilience. This year’s theme is “resolve to be resilient.”
“We must build resilience into our preparedness planning year-around,” said Dr. David Mussington, CISA executive assistant director for infrastructure security. “It’s a whole of community responsibility to prepare and secure the nation’s critical infrastructure and protect the vital services it provides, so when something does happen, we are better able to respond to and recover from any impacts.”
CISA will provide resilience strategies that critical infrastructure organizations can incorporate into their planning to reduce economic disruptions to supply chains, encourage innovative solutions to reduce harm to communities, keep communities connected, and help protect lives and jobs.
Tips include knowing infrastructure and dependencies, assessing risks, making actionable plans, and measuring progress to continuously improve. Fostering a culture of continuous improvement is the first step to proactively prepare, CISA says.