ABSTRACT
National infrastructures such as the electricity grid, telecommunications system and transport network provide services that we use daily, supporting the physical functioning of society. If parts of the national infrastructure malfunction, this can have a significant impact on the physical and economic well-being of a country and its people. Three factors compound the problem. Firstly, while the probability of random events can be calculated with a degree of reliability, malicious acts are not random: they are the result of planning and analysis to identify worst possible outcomes. Secondly, the tendency to integrate separate local parts of the infrastructure for greater efficiency means that a country's vulnerability to both physical and cyber-attack increases with the number of potential access points. Thirdly, industrial restructuring, the pressure to reduce 'less productive' actions that increase costs, outsourcing and regulatory pressures further complicate the protection of infrastructures. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
