How HSI Helps Protect Critical Infrastructure From Attack

Critical infrastructure refers to the systems and assets that are vital to a nation, so much so that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, economic security, public health or safety. This includes things like energy, transportation, communication networks, financial services, healthcare, food and agriculture, government facilities, dams, manufacturing, commercial facilities and more. Protecting critical infrastructure is incredibly important.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plays a big role in securing critical infrastructure. DHS helps coordinate efforts between government and the private sector to protect critical assets and systems. One DHS agency that is heavily involved is Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

What is HSI?

HSI is an investigative arm of DHS. Their mission is to investigate, disrupt and dismantle terrorist, transnational and other criminal organizations that threaten or seek to exploit the customs and immigration laws of the United States. HSI has broad legal authority to enforce a diverse array of federal statutes. They use this authority to investigate all types of cross-border criminal activity.

How HSI Helps Secure Critical Infrastructure

HSI helps secure critical infrastructure in a variety of ways:

• Investigating threats and attacks against critical infrastructure
• Providing training and education to stakeholders
• Facilitating information sharing between government and industry
• Developing security partnerships and task forces
• Conducting risk and vulnerability assessments

Investigating Threats and Attacks

A major part of HSI’s role is to investigate potential threats and attacks against critical infrastructure. They have special agents embedded in critical infrastructure sites across the country to identify risks and gather intelligence. HSI investigates threats ranging from terrorist groups to hackers to insiders. Some examples of HSI investigations related to critical infrastructure include:

• Probing nation-state hacking groups targeting critical infrastructure networks
• Uncovering insider threats at nuclear facilities attempting to compromise security
• Tracking domestic extremist groups threatening attacks against infrastructure
• Investigating bomb threats called into airports, transit hubs, hospitals and other facilities

When an attack or breach does occur, HSI works to determine the perpetrators and bring them to justice. They have experience investigating complex cyber crimes as well as physical attacks against infrastructure.

Training and Education

HSI provides training and education to stakeholders in the critical infrastructure community. For example, they give presentations to private sector partners on emerging threats, security best practices, suspicious activity reporting, and more. HSI also conducts exercises to help stakeholders test and improve their response plans for infrastructure disruptions and attacks.

Information Sharing

Facilitating two-way information sharing between government and industry is a key part of HSI’s critical infrastructure mission. HSI shares relevant threat intelligence and risk information with infrastructure owners and operators so they can take preventive action. The private sector in turn shares suspicious activity reports and other information to help HSI identify risks and threats early on.

HSI leverages platforms like the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) to securely share information with critical infrastructure partners. HSIN provides a trusted environment where stakeholders can collaborate and communicate about threats in real-time.

Security Partnerships

HSI develops security partnerships and task forces focused on protecting regional infrastructure. These include partnerships with facilities like airports, seaports, chemical plants, sports arenas, financial exchanges and more. HSI agents are embedded at many critical sites to provide law enforcement coordination, investigative support and domain expertise.

Risk Assessments

HSI conducts risk and vulnerability assessments at critical infrastructure sites and makes recommendations to improve security. Assessments may involve evaluating physical security, cybersecurity, employee screening policies, emergency response plans, and other protective measures. HSI agents draw on their specialized training and infrastructure security expertise to identify gaps and make targeted recommendations.

Benefits of HSI’s Role

There are many benefits to HSI’s involvement in securing critical infrastructure:

• Brings sophisticated investigative capabilities to bear against threats
• Provides unique expertise in transnational threats like terrorism
• Develops security partnerships tailored to regional infrastructure
• Promotes collaboration between government and industry
• Enhances real-time information sharing and communication
• Conducts operationally focused risk assessments

Overall, HSI serves as a force multiplier in critical infrastructure protection. Their worldwide presence, broad legal authorities, specialized training and partnerships with stakeholders enable HSI to make valuable contributions to infrastructure security.