The Communication Sector offers numerous products and services, all of which support and enhance the efficiency of today’s information-based society. The DHS, reports that as of the year 2014, information and communication technology accounted for 3.5 million jobs, injecting at least a trillion dollars to the U.S gross domestic product through both direct and indirect injections. Most of the products and services provided by the communications sector are critical for the operability of other critical infrastructure sectors hence this paper addresses the threats that may impact nodes, assets and links within the sector.

Nodes

The Communication sector is made of five nodes, all of which ensure that communication is successful and can be accessed on all levels. The broadcast node is responsible for analogue and digital audio and video programming, as well as data services. Operating in three frequency bands; MF, VHF, and UHF, the node has been tasked with the provision of emergency alerts over the years. Similarly, the cable node is made of 7.700 cable systems which provided analog and digital video communications alongside telephone services and uses coaxial cables to offer bidirectional signal paths to Citizens. The satellite node, comprises of technological objects sent to the earth’s atmosphere, to redirect voice video and data communications to the receivers. The wireless node involves telecommunications where electromagnetic waves, instead of wires transport communication signals to part of, or the entire communications path. On the other hand the wireline, is a node made of circuit and packet-switched networks through copper, fiber and coaxial transport media.

Assets

The nodes in the communication sectors contains a significant number of critical assets. These include communication centers, masts and satellites all of which play an important role in ensuring successful communication. Satellites for instance, help with relaying information hence interfering with such a node will result in incomplete information. Communication control centers on the other hand, are necessary to enhance transition of information from a node to another through links and connected assets.

Links

Links connect two or more assets or nodes. For instance, communication masts which is also an asset, may be used to link two nodes. For instance, the broadcast node, may use wireless or wirelines mediums to ensure that the communication reaches the intended recipient. As such, a mast from a communication center which converts wired information into electromagnetic signals may be of importance.

Threats to Communication Sector’s Nodes, Links and assets, and Impacts

With an increase in the usage on the internet and data services in the communication sector, the most significant threat is cyber-attacks, where viruses, malware and hackers may interfere with the operability of software and hardware in communication control centers or satellites. A hack for instance risk user confidentiality, and may shut them out from accessing such services, resulting in increased security threats, and significant economic losses. On the other hand, weather phenomena such as hurricanes or earthquakes may interfere with wireline posts, masts and underground cables affecting a significant portion communication services.

On the other hand, human error, and terror attacks on communication control centers may increase the damage caused by security threats since these assets will be defective within the network. For instance, communication centers, may be required by the broadcast nodes to relay emergency information for all stakeholders all of who are impacted by the effective running or the defectiveness of the communication sector. Where the communications controls are down, emergency warnings will fail to be issued, and their critical infrastructure sectors that rely on the communications center for their operations may face significant challenges. For instance, the aviation industry, which is part of transportation sector may be at an increased risk of accidents given that control towers will be unavailable to control aircrafts.

Executive summary

Network theory provides a framework through which a critical infrastructure network may be protected and its resiliency increased. It offers a model through which networks can be analyzed for threats, risks, and vulnerabilities and how such issues can be mitigated. This network theory therefore, assesses the network risks threats and vulnerabilities of the communications sector network, and how mitigation can be achieved.

Assets, Nodes and Links within the communications sector are all critical components where the failure of one may result in a cascading effect, resulting into the failure of an entire system. The sectordepends on nodes, which in turn depend on assets and links to fully function, and enable users its full benefits. It is therefore important that vulnerabilities are assessed and resourcesset aside for protection and resilience. For instance, the broadcast node is majorly used for airing emergencies. It is dependent on the satellites, which acts as a link, as well as communication centers and masts which are both assets. These three components are central to broadcasting, hence protection of this node is essential.

The Broadcast node, just like the other nodes is subject to threats which include those that are human instigated, as well as those that are natural in nature. For instance, cybercrimes tend to target assets within this node, in order to commit even bigger crimes. On the other hand, catastrophic natural phenomena may result in uprooting of physical infrastructure such as masts and wirelines. In bothcases, there is interference in how communication occurs which affects individuals. Resources should be protect these nodes, assets and links from possible cyber-attacks, or to increase resiliency in the event that an attack or a catastrophe occurs. This fund is necessary for building fences, and creating weather reinforcements as a form of protection, and training personnel on how to handle a situation to minimize its impact.

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