Thankful for Critical Infrastructure – Recognize This November

As we move forward from election season and prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving with our families and friends, let us not forget that November also is Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month. This month reminds our nation about the vital role critical infrastructure plays in America's wellbeing and why it is important to strengthen critical infrastructure security and resilience. The work of the member companies of ACEC plays an essential role in building critical infrastructure that is secure and resilient for both the public and private sectors. We celebrate you; we thank you.

This year, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is continuing the enduring theme of Resolve to be Resilient and asking everyone to prepare for and invest in resilience today, so we can withstand or recover quickly in the event of an incident tomorrow. Critical infrastructure is both a shared resource and a shared responsibility. We all play a role in keeping it secure and resilient.

Resilience means doing the work up front to prepare for a disruption, anticipating that it will in fact happen, and exercising not just for response but with a deliberate focus on continuity and recovery, improving the ability to operate in a degraded state, and significantly reducing downtime when an incident occurs.

This year alone, incidents such Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse serve to highlight the lessons of resilience. Stopping vehicular traffic on the bridge seconds before the ship struck the bridge prevented an already-tragic event from becoming a mass casualty incident. At the same time, Hurricanes Helene and Milton provide an opportunity to rebuild with resilience as a guide. From nonprofits and faith-based organizations to government officials, individuals, and the private sector, the hurricane response has been a whole-of-community effort.

Going forward, the convergence of physical infrastructure and emerging technologies provides both opportunities and challenges. Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unveiled new voluntary guidance entitled, "Roles and Responsibilities Framework for Artificial Intelligence in Critical Infrastructure." It proposes a series of voluntary responsibilities for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the 16 U.S. critical infrastructure sectors. Just as cybersecurity policies have developed over the past decade, evolving approaches to AI and other emerging technologies will shape the future of critical infrastructure security and resilience.

For more information on raising awareness of Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month including resilience tips and a social media toolkit, visit CISA's website. Happy Thanksgiving!