Strategies to Counter Cyberattacks: Cyberthreats and Critical Infrastructure Protection

Today, cyberthreats have the potential to harm critical infrastructure which may result in the interruption of life-sustaining services, catastrophic economic damages or severe degradation of national security. The diversity and complexity of cyberthreats that exploit the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructures increase every day. In order to lessen the potential harm of cyberthreats, countermeasures have to be applied and the effectiveness of these countermeasures has to be monitored continuously. In this study, a brief definition and history of critical infrastructure are introduced. Cyberthreats are examined in four fundamental categories with the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure categorized and examined. Finally, countermeasures that may play a key role in critical infrastructure protection programs are discussed.