(UPI) Chapter 8: Cybersecurity of Critical Infrastructure
34-minute College Credit Course
Start Course- College Credit
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About this Course
In this chapter, the analysis centers on the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure within the national security domain, examining both the ethical challenges and value conflicts that arise when protecting vital public services and systems from cyber threats. The chapter reviews relevant literature, presents frameworks for categorizing attacks, and discusses real-world case studies to illustrate the complex trade-offs between security and other societal values such as privacy, equity, and long-term stability.
Cybersecurity of Critical Infrastructure
In this stage, we first lay the groundwork by reviewing literature on national security cybersecurity—including its ethical issues and value conflicts—and then delves into technical and political dimensions of protecting critical infrastructures, such as industrial control systems and AI-enabled vulnerabilities.
5 steps8.3 Cybersecurity of Critical Infrastructure
In this stage, we examine the cybersecurity challenges that threaten critical infrastructure—the backbone of modern society’s essential services such as energy, transportation, healthcare, and finance. We analyze how increasing reliance on integrated ICT networks, combined with emerging technologies like AI and IoT, has expanded the attack surface, necessitating a nuanced understanding of both cyber and cyber-physical vulnerabilities, and highlighting the tension between securing these vital systems and maintaining democratic freedoms and privacy.
5 steps8.4 Case Studies of Cybersecurity in the National Security Domain
The following section presents four case studies that highlight ethical issues in cybersecurity at the national level. First, we examine a case of cyber retaliation targeting critical infrastructure, threatening cyber peace. Next, we discuss two cases involving surveillance technologies, which governments use to enhance their cyber capabilities but may misuse against their own citizens. Finally, we explore a morally problematic cybersecurity threat exploited by governments against enemy states or internal opponents.
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