Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection
Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection
ABSTRACT
Critical infrastructure, including energy, water, health, transportation and finance, are deeply important in maintaining
social stability and economic activities. But it has the disadvantage that it is comprised of interlocking systems and legacy
technology, which is a tempting target for growing sophistication of cyberattack. In this systematic literature review, the
dynamics of attack and assets of critical infrastructure is analyzed, and some of the important examples discussed such as the
2015 Ukraine power grid incident, and the 2017 WannaCry ransomware incident. Major contributors to vulnerability are
legacy systems, underfunding, and exponential growth of Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS). This
review also works on global cybersecurity architectures and new technologies (e.g., AI, blockchain and quantum
cryptography) as countermeasures for these risks. Through the analysis of issue-specific barriers and real-world events, this
work emphasizes the critical need for a holistic, multidisciplinary strategy with regard to maintaining the security of critical
infrastructure against the ever-changing set of threat modalities.
These approaches highlight the need for a broader The digital platforms that the financial ecosystem
approach including the adept use of innovative has come all too accustomed to its dangerous
technologies, legal regulations, and international symbiotic relationship creates its particular
cooperation to protect critical infrastructures from fragility, including the underreporting of
more complex cyberattacks. cyberattacks and ongoing risks as exemplified by
the SWIFT hack. AI and blockchain have been used
6. Cybersecurity Challenges Addressed by
to advance detection of fraud and transparency in
Specific Sectors
their respective domains (digital banking and
A cybersecurity approach needs to be tailored for cryptocurrency markets) [17, 37]. Secure-by-
each critical infrastructure sector, due to the design principles, intersectorial collaboration, and
specific cybersecurity threats they are exposed to. human-factor principles continue to be vital across
In the maritime domain, cyber threats are all sectors.
represented by security holes in navigation
Egreat sector-specific resilience, there are tailored
systems such as AIS and GPS that are susceptible to
mitigation that accounts for technological and
spoofing and jamming attacks. Legacy systems e.g.,
human values. The application of AI, blockchain,
ECDIS increase risks and thus have demands to be
and other advanced technologies has
separated into IT and OT systems and to provide
demonstrated significant promise in mitigating
better cybersecurity education for maritime
risks and safeguarding critical operations globally.
personnel [12, 14]. Ports also remain critical points
of vulnerability due to gaps in supply chain
integration [14].
7. Lessons to Be Learned from Real-World fragility, including the underreporting of
Cyber-Incidents in Securing Critical cyberattacks and ongoing risks as exemplified by
Infrastructure the SWIFT hack. AI and blockchain have been used
to advance detection of fraud and transparency in
A cybersecurity approach needs to be tailored for
their respective domains (digital banking and
each critical infrastructure sector, due to the
cryptocurrency markets) [17, 37]. Secure-by-
specific cybersecurity threats they are exposed to.
design principles, intersectorial collaboration, and
In the maritime domain, cyber threats are
human-factor principles continue to be vital across
represented by security holes in navigation
all sectors. Egreat sector-specific resilience, there
systems such as AIS and GPS that are susceptible to
are tailored mitigation that accounts for
spoofing and jamming attacks. Legacy systems e.g.,
technological and human values. The application of
ECDIS increase risks and thus have demands to be
AI, blockchain, and other advanced technologies
separated into IT and OT systems and to provide
has demonstrated significant promise in mitigating
better cybersecurity education for maritime
risks and safeguarding critical operations globally.
personnel [12, 14]. Ports also remain critical points
of vulnerability due to gaps in supply chain 8. Conclusion
integration [14].
Critical infrastructure sectors continue to be
The energy industry is dealing with illusiveness of extremely susceptible to cyberattacks because of
CPS and smart grids on the matter of security the necessity of interconnectedness, older
against cyber-physical attacks. Smart Grid 2.0 uses technologies, and the increasing sophistication of
blockchain to ensure tamper-evidence and AI to cyber threats. Attack incidents such as the 2015
provide adaptive threat detection for resistance to Ukraine power grid exploitation and the WannaCry
changing cyber attack [19]. Similar, water ransomware attack demonstrate the destructive
distribution systems are also subject to threats capabilities of such attacks [1], [2]. Problems of
emanating from scmda systems and plc's attacks. industry-specific nature e.g., those related to
These limitations are overcome by model-based maritime navigation security [12], [14] or
detection mechanisms that detect hidden reporting of cyber incidents by financial sector
anomalies by real-time comparison of SCADA data [37], point out the timely request for sector-specific
and of hydraulic simulations [22]. solutions and intersectoral cooperation.
Health care has gone towards Healthcare 5.0, which Emerging technologies such as artificial
includes wearables, blockchain, and quantum intelligence, blockchain, and quantum
cryptography. These technologies improve the cryptography offer promising avenues for
security of data while at the same time are resilient enhancing cybersecurity [12], [38]. Frameworks
to inbuilt dangers, such as database breaches or such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework [18]
impersonation attacks. Nevertheless, piecemeal and the European NIS Directive [28] show the
introduction of GDPR and other regulation is significance of risk-based approaches and
restrained to the uniform adaptation of these international collaboration. Yet, unresolved
structures within the field [28, 38]. Specifically, in problems such as human factors [21], limited
the transport industry, there are risks in traffic resources, and piecemeal policies [16] require
control systems and V2X communications. ongoing investment in research, training, and
Deepening the domain [20, 32] by using harmonized international regulation.
blockchain-based solutions and state-of-the-art
Through the application of the lessons of the past
attack-fault tree methods provide more robustness.
and the utilization of new and disruptive
The digital platforms that the financial ecosystem technologies, key infrastructure sectors can create
has come all too accustomed to its dangerous resilience to profusely changing cyber threats.
symbiotic relationship creates its particular Maintaining the stability and security of these
systems is not a priori technical problem or a social Related-Issues-On-Legacy-Systems-A-
duty, but demands collective action among Review.pdf
governments, enterprises, and academia to
[7] A. J. Cartwright, “The elephant in the room:
guarantee the health and safety of the modern
cybersecurity in healthcare,” Journal of Clinical
world.
Monitoring and Computing, vol. 37, no. 5, Apr.
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