ABSTRACT
The basic concept of critical infrastructure protection (CIP) finds its roots in concepts such as vital point protection that can cast back several thousand years with the protection of key shelter points, food stores, and other features such as water sources. What many policy makers consider to be critical infrastructure has been evolving and is often ambiguous. The critical infrastructure sectors are now being reviewed in the context of both CIP (protection of assets) and critical infrastructure assurance (protection of capacity). The divide between the public and private sectors is becoming more gray and flexible through the concept of public-private partnerships. Public sector entities may be involved in two major functions. The first function is regulating the behavior of those persons or entities that fall within their jurisdiction. This leads to the second function, which is the protection of people, property, and operations under its care.
