Protecting State and Local Critical Infrastructures: Weaving Technology, Legislation and Policy

摘要

State and local governments rely on critical infrastructures to provide vital services to citizens. The majority of America's critical infrastructure components are physically situated in state and local jurisdictions. Still, the importance of state and local governments in national critical infrastructure protection efforts has been largely overlooked. This dissertation focuses on strategies for engaging state and local governments in critical infrastructure protection and, in particular, helping secure electronic infrastructure components. State and local entities must be linked to federal and private sector programs, thereby implementing a new breed of federalism. Furthermore, state and local governments must participate in regional partnerships, expand education and training programs, and improve information sharing through state and local ISACs. Only by aligning and weaving the 'threads' of technology, legislation, and policy can state and local governments strengthen the fabric of their critical infrastructures and protect them from internal and external threats. (13 figures, 160 refs.).