Cybersecurity Preparedness of Critical Infrastructure—A National Review

Critical infrastructures are the foundational pillars of modern society, encompassing essential systems and assets that support our daily lives, economy, and national security. These infrastructures, including transportation networks, power grids, water supplies, telecommunications, and financial systems, play a vital role in ensuring the smooth functioning of governments, businesses, and communities. Safeguarding these critical infrastructures from both physical and cyber threats is of utmost importance in our interconnected world. The global landscape presents various threats that can impact infrastructures, such as the Covid‐19 pandemic, the activities of state and non‐state hackers, and extreme weather events. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize the development of resilient infrastructures capable of withstanding crises and maintaining stability. This entails adopting information, communication, and technology (ICT) platforms that leverage emerging and innovative technologies to enhance infrastructure protection. As ICT systems evolve and become more interconnected, collaborative, and holistic strategies are necessary to protect critical infrastructure assets from an ever‐increasing number of evolving cyber threats and disruptive cyberattacks. Safeguarding high‐risk critical infrastructure assets, which are vital to safety, efficiency, and reliability, presents serious challenges. Recognizing the importance of protecting critical infrastructure from all types of threats and implementing resilient strategies is paramount. This article begins by describing the challenges faced by the United States in protecting critical infrastructure and assessing its Cybersecurity readiness. It then explores strategies for resilience and the urgent need for critical infrastructure protection. Finally, the authors evaluate the resilience and readiness strategies in place for protecting critical infrastructure in the United States.