From heatwaves to cyber threats: a comprehensive new guide to today’s hazards

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the International Science Council (ISC) have released an updated edition of their comprehensive hazard guide, offering clear, standardized information on 282 hazards - from wildfires and earthquakes to cyberattacks and pandemics.
The new edition reflects the complex and interconnected nature of today's global risk landscape. Hazards increasingly occur together, cascade across systems, and amplify one another. In response, the updated profiles emphasize a multi-hazard approach-critical for effective early warning systems, emergency planning, and disaster resilience. Originally launched in 2021 as the first resource of its kind, the hazard definitions and classification provide an authoritative technical foundation for disaster risk reduction efforts worldwide. This updated edition builds on that foundation with:
- 282 reviewed hazards across 8 types and 39 clusters
- Improved, machine-readable format to support their use across digital tools and systems. E.g. the updated hazard taxonomy with standard definitions enables the new generation UNDRR-UNDP-WMO disaster tracking system.
- Clearer articulation of hazard interactions and multi-hazard scenarios
- User-informed revisions and new content to support real-world planning and response
"From local governments to humanitarian agencies, the need for consistent, science-based hazard information is universal. These profiles reflect the best available scientific understanding of hazards and offer a foundation for evidence-based policies that reduce risk and build resilience," said Salvatore Aricò, CEO, International Science Council.
"Reliable and standardized hazard data are essential for informing disaster risk reduction strategies. This update helps countries implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction to reduce losses by 2030," said Kamal Kishore, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction.
"This updated edition reflects what we've learned: hazards are not standalone events. They are part of a complex web of risk. By bringing together diverse expert and user input, we've made these profiles more actionable, more interconnected, and more immediately useful," said Professor Virginia Murray, Chair of the Hazard Information Profiles Steering Group.
The revision process engaged over 270 experts, reviewers, and users from across sectors and regions. A dedicated User Group, Multi-Hazard Group, and Machine Actionability Group ensured the profiles remain practical, future-ready, and inclusive of diverse perspectives and needs.
Since the initial release, the hazard profiles have been widely used by national disaster management agencies, UN bodies, researchers, and humanitarian organizations for planning, monitoring, risk assessments, and training. This success has prompted the current update to ensure that they remain relevant and up to date.

Indra leads the European SMAUG Project to improve underwater threat detection at ports and maritime borders

With the aim of improving and reinforcing the security of ports and their entry routes, Indra has launched the European SMAUG (Smart Maritime and Underwater Guardian) RDI project, as part of the European Union’s Horizon Europe program. The company heads the consortium of entities from seven European countries that will work together to improve the underwater detection of threats and illicit trafficking.
Over 80% of world trade is conducted by sea, and the continuous movement of vessels requires port security processes to be robust and effective, especially for monitoring and detecting legal and illegal activities at ports, in coastal areas and on borders. Geopolitical tensions are also turning the bottom of the oceans into sensitive terrain that needs to be protected.

Within this context, the SMAUG project seeks to detect, track and monitor potentially illegal and harmful movements and products entering EU ports and coasts by means of an integrated system based on Indra’s iSIM solution, which combines security management, advanced underwater detection systems and surveillance vessels.

More specifically, underwater threats are detected and located using four main methods. The first method is acoustic detection, in which a series of hydrophones listen for sounds emitted by small autonomous underwater vehicles. Secondly, a sonar performs a quick scan of the hull and the bottom of the harbor. The third method of underwater detection is high-resolution sonar inspection, which is used to inspect objects in water with poor visibility. Finally, collective autonomous location is employed, whereby a coordinated swarm of autonomous underwater vehicles act cooperatively.

These systems, supported by artificial intelligence, can more effectively detect unlawful and dangerous goods and/or threats hidden beneath the surface of the water. SMAUG will thus make a significant contribution to maritime security by improving the protection of infrastructures and vessels and the detection of vessels, including narco-submarines, suspected of conducting illegal or potentially dangerous activities.

As the leader of the SMAUG project, Indra brings its expertise in developing advanced algorithms for processing underwater sound and images, applying artificial intelligence for early detection of objects and threats. Additionally, it contributes its capabilities in the field of security for port infrastructure and maritime transport, providing solutions that enhance protection in complex maritime environments.

Its iSIM solution acts as a core for integration and analysis, unifying and processing data from physical security systems such as hydrophones, underwater scanners, drone swarms, and autonomous vehicles, along with satellite surveillance systems. It also takes information from port management systems, enabling a global and interoperable view that optimizes security, operational efficiency, and real-time decision-making.

International cooperation

Juan Román Martínez, the head of Indra’s SMAUG project, emphasized that ”this project means significant progress in maritime security, as it reinforces safety and promotes international cooperation in the fight against illicit activities in the maritime environment”.

With a budget of almost six million euros, the SMAUG RDI project involves a highly experienced consortium made up of 22 partners, including universities, research centers, SMEs, law enforcement agencies, public authorities, coast and border guards and private organizations from seven EU countries (Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway and Spain).

Among its capabilities, SMAUG is being prepared to achieve interoperability with the Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE), in order to help create a political, cultural, legal and technical environment that allows exchanges of information between the surveillance systems of the member States of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). Thus, all of the authorities from the different sectors involved in port and maritime settings could have access to any additional classified and unclassified information required to perform missions at sea.

Indra will continue to drive a more secure, connected and sustainable future with this project, placing technology at the service of the safety and well-being of citizens in keeping with its motto:'Tech for Trust'. With innovation at the core of its business and unique experience going back over 30 years, the company boasts a comprehensive portfolio of pioneering solutions designed on an ad hoc basis to address all kinds of citizen security threats that have been implemented in countries all around the world.

The US Defense Industrial Base Risks & Opportunities

In this article, we examine how supply chain disruptions in minerals, electronics, and skilled labor are creating risks and opportunities in the US Defense Industrial Base (USDIB). 

Minerals: Rare Earth Elements

The USDIB relies on Rare Earth Elements (REEs).  REEs, loosely defined, are a set of 17 nearly indistinguishable lustrous silvery-white soft heavy metals. The term 'rare-earth' is misleading because they are not actually scarce. REEs are common throughout the Earth's crust.  However, because of their geochemical properties, most REEs are highly dispersed as trace elements. Geological regions with relatively high concentrations of REE are rare and even in these rare instances, obtaining usable quantities of pure REEs requires processing enormous amounts of raw material at great expense.

REE is mined by first removing rock from the ground that contains the REE.  Most rare-earth ores are mined by conventional open-pit methods in which rock is broken by blasting, loaded onto trucks with large shovels, and hauled to a concentration facility. Concentration is by physical separation of the REE-bearing minerals from all other minerals in the rock. The ore is crushed and ground in multiple stages until most of the rare-earth minerals interlocked with the other minerals are broken free. Next, in a method known as froth flotation, the rare-earth minerals are coated with a chemical that repels water and allows them to float to the surface attached to air bubbles in agitated tanks, where they are skimmed off as a concentrate. The remaining minerals are disposed of as waste and the REE concentrate is then ready for leaching.

The REE concentrate is then leached with an acid and the resulting REE-rich solution is then processed through sequential steps to recover individual REEs. For example, Cerium can be recovered by the addition of sodium hydroxide, which causes the cerium to drop out of solution as an oxide or hydroxide. The other REEs are typically separated by solvent extraction, a process in which an organic chemical specially designed to extract a particular REE is forced countercurrent to the REE-bearing leach solution.   Mining and concentration of REE ores presents conventional problems of concentrate waste disposal. For every ton of REEs produced, the process yields an estimated 75 cubic meters of wastewater and one ton of radioactive residue.

From the mid-1960s to the early 1990s, the United States was the world’s largest REE-producing country, with production coming entirely from the Mountain Pass mine in southeastern California. The mine was discovered in 1949 by a uranium prospector. The mine is located in San Bernardino County, California, on the south flank of the Clark Mountain Range. The mine has been active since 1952, with production expanding in the 1960s.  In 2020, the mine supplied 15.8% of the world's rare-earth production.   Today the mine is owned by MP Materials Corp (NYSE: MP). At this time, MP Materials Corp. is the largest producer of rare earth materials in the Western Hemisphere. The company recently raised $1B to expand its capacity.  The Mountain Pass mine is currently the only active REE mine in the United States.

In the late 1980s, China began mining their in-country REE deposits, processing their ore and extracting and separating the individual REEs for use in products, which they also manufactured. China quickly gained control of global REE production, providing 95 percent of the global market of processed REE by 2011.  Between 2011 and 2017, China produced approximately 84 percent of the world’s REEs.

China was able to establish dominance over the REE industry in large part because of its lower environmental regulations. Low cost, high pollution extraction methods enabled China to outpace competitors and create a strong foothold in the international REE market.  The largest REE mine in the world at this time is the Bayan-Obo mine in China. At this mine, there are an estimated 70,000 tons of radioactive thorium waste in storage ponds in the area. These waste ponds are not far from the Yellow River and there is concern that they could eventually leach into the river, which is a key source of drinking water for a substantial population.  To maintain its dominance in REEs, China is also in the process of expanding its REE mining operations outside of mainland China.  China has obtained rights to the REE deposits in a handful of African countries in return for infrastructure investment, including but not limited to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in return for building national roads, highways, and hospitals. China has obtained commercial licenses for REE mines in Kenya by agreeing to build a $600+ million data center.

President Trump’s recent comments that he wants the US to “purchase Greenland” have made international headlines. While we will not comment on the politics of this, we are glad to comment on one of the reasons why he said this. One reason was the Kvanefjeld deposit in Greenland is estimated by scientists to be one of the largest known REE deposits on earth. China has been in discussions with Greenland since 2017 about gaining rights to mine Kvanefjeld. To date, Greenland has rejected China’s offers regarding Kvanefjeld.  Given that much of the Island has not yet been fully explored for REEs, many scientists believe that Greenland may hold substantial REE deposits. Furthermore, with receding Artic Ice (due to global warming), the costs of extracting REEs from Greenland are expected to decline significantly.

Electronics: Computer Chips
Semiconductors and advanced electronics form the technological backbone of modern defense systems, powering communications, surveillance, and weapons guidance. However, the semiconductor industry has been plagued by significant supply disruptions. A global chip shortage that began with the COVID – 19 pandemic in 2020 has persisted, driven by surging demand, throughput constraints, and an overreliance on semiconductor fabs in Taiwan. Furthermore, China has made the leadership in the semiconductor industry a national strategic objective. According to the US based Semiconductor Industry Association, China has plans to invest more than $150 Billion in the sector between 2014 and 2030.

The U.S. government responded in 2022 with the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors Act (CHIPS), which authorized $280 Billion to boost domestic research and manufacturing in the semiconductor industry in the US. In addition to this substantial amount of funding, the CHIPS Act also authorized Department of Commerce (DOC), Department of Defense (DoD), and Department of State (DOS) the authority to waive certain regulations to expedite the development of onshore domestic manufacturing of semiconductors critical to U.S. competitiveness and national security. The Act also includes safeguards to ensure that companies that receive Federal funds from the Act cannot use those funds to build advanced semiconductor production facilities in countries that present a national security threat to the US.  When announcing the Act, congress noted that only 12% of chips are currently manufactured domestically, compared to 37% in the 1990s.

Other specific provisions of the Act included:
• $39 billion in immediate financial assistance to build, expand, or modernize domestic facilities and equipment for semiconductor fabrication
• $11 billion for DOC research and development.
• $2 billion for the DoD to implement the Microelectronics Commons, a national network for onshore, university-based prototyping, lab-to-fab transition of semiconductor technologies
• Waivers of certain environmental and other regulatory requirements necessary to construct and operate new semiconductor fabrication facilities

Skilled Labor 
While supplies of REEs and advanced semiconductors are crucial to the USDIB, a skilled workforce in manufacturing remains the most essential component of the defense supply chain. The USDIB is experiencing a severe shortage of qualified manufacturing professionals, from engineers to machinists. Several factors contribute to this challenge, including an aging workforce and insufficient training pipelines for specialized defense roles. This talent gap not only hampers production schedules but also slows innovation.

Today, the manufacturing sector is not a top choice for the newest generation of workers. Just 14% of Gen Zers say they would consider a career in manufacturing, because of expectations of: low pay and dangerous work conditions. Their disinterest has resulted in a rapidly aging workforce. About 51% of manufacturing jobs are held by employees ages 45-65 or older (Clear Company, manufacturing-workforce-trends-development-strategies, 2025).

There are some near-term solutions to this problem. Employers can establish apprenticeship programs in collaboration with local technical schools to build a pipeline of future talent. These programs are increasingly recognized as critical for addressing the workforce shortages in defense manufacturing. The Department of Defense's Manufacturing Education and Workforce Development (M-EWD) Program, for instance, collaborates with industry stakeholders to create skilled professionals who are equipped to meet the demands of advanced manufacturing. This initiative focuses on bridging the gap between educational systems and real-world manufacturing needs.  Also, ensuring that workers are prepared for the technology-driven advancements in defense sectors such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced materials. This proactive approach not only helps close the skills gap but also strengthens the pipeline of human capital for middle market defense companies by providing students with valuable, career-oriented training in high-demand fields. Employers can partner with higher education institutions to create specialized training initiatives tailored to defense sector needs. Such partnerships are essential for ensuring that the talent entering the defense industry has the precise skills required for the evolving technological landscape. The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) plays a leading role in advocating for the development of specialized training, reskilling, and educational programs that align with the needs of the defense industry. By working with colleges and universities, defense companies can ensure that curricula are closely aligned with current and future technological demands, such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and aerospace engineering. These initiatives also help cultivate a more adaptable workforce, equipped to handle the rapid pace of innovation in the sector.

Weapons Manufacturing Capacity
In 2024, the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) reported that China’s defense industrial base is operating on a wartime footing, while the U.S. defense industrial base is largely operating on a peacetime footing. The report went on to state that “the U.S. defense industrial ecosystem lacks the capacity, responsiveness, flexibility, and surge capability to meet the U.S. military’s production and warfighting needs.” Unless there are urgent changes, the United States risks weakening deterrence and undermining its warfighting capabilities. China is heavily investing in munitions and acquiring high-end weapons systems and equipment five to six times faster than the United States. China is also the world’s largest shipbuilder and has a shipbuilding capacity that is roughly 200 times larger than the United States. According to the CSIS 2024 report, China’s largest shipyard, Jiangnan, has more capacity than all U.S. shipyards combined.

While the pandemic was not the only cause of this problem, it was certainly a catalyst. Lockdowns and business closures set off supply chain disruptions that led to a 43% decline in all US manufacturing output and a 38% drop in hours worked, the largest since World War II, and manufacturers were forced to lay off their employees. Some of the 1.4 million workers across all sectors, who lost their jobs left permanently, whether they retired early, began working in a different industry, or left the workforce for other reasons.

In the years since, US manufacturing has had an impressive recovery. The industry has added nearly 800,000 jobs since 2021. According to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey, companies’ optimism about their future is rising. Even with growth, manufacturing still anticipates a long struggle with the talent shortage. Despite the addition of so many jobs, almost 550,000 are currently vacant, and research from Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute indicates that this number will increase. An estimated four million manufacturing employees will be needed by 2030 in the US.

What This Means for Middle-Market Defense Contractors
From our vantage point as M&A bankers in the middle market of the aerospace & defense industry, we have a unique view.  We can see what is happening in real-time in the supply chain.  We hear from the owners of these companies - what keeps them up at night.  And we hear from the buyers of these companies - what opportunities they see and why they are making substantial investments.

The Risks
There are three risks facing the middle market of the USDIB that we keep hearing:
• First, China is the biggest single threat to the US, not just terms of the risk of kinetic attack, but moreover in terms of non-kinetic warfare, including but not limited to the disruption of critical supply chains.
• Second, behind ‘China Risk’, is the risk of an aging USDIB manufacturing workforce
• Third, is the lack of investment into USDIB manufacturing infrastructure for decades

The Opportunity
While the risks facing the USDIB are substantial, the opportunity facing the middle market of the USDIB is even greater.  Today, we are hearing repeatedly and loudly, especially from active buyers in the sector, the following:
• Manufacturing throughout the USDIB will experience a significant resurgence over the next 3-5 years, in terms of demand from the Department of Defense, the influx of new workers, and the flow of investment capital.

By Bruce Andrews, Partner and Troy Medeiros, Vice President, Alderman And Company

The latest issue of Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience News has arrived

Download your copy now at www.cip-association.org/CIPRNews
Please find here your downloadable copy of the Winter 2024-25 issue of Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience News, the official magazine of the International Association of CIP Professionals (IACIPP), for the latest views, features and news, including a Preview of the upcoming Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience North America conference, taking place in Houston, TX on March 11th-13th, and co-hosted by InfraGard Houston.
Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience News in this issue:
- Are we getting the deserved return-on-investment from the EU research on critical infrastructure resilience?
- Reducing disaster risks to deliver a resilient future
- New report: Terrorists exploiting global tensions
- The future of risk communications is community engagement
- Navigating cybersecurity investments in the time of NIS 2
- Improving Red Teaming for Critical Infrastructure Protection: A Comprehensive Approach
- Artificial Intelligence Perspective: The Changing of the Guard
- Shaping the Future of AI in Security: CoESS Launches Ethical and Responsible AI Charter
- Preview of Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience North America
- Infragard Building Cross-sector Collaboration for Enhancing Resilience
- Counter-Drone Technology for Critical Infrastructure: Your Layered Security Stack is the Sum of Its Parts
- Harnessing AI to Secure America’s Rural Critical Infrastructure
- Ensuring Compliance with the EU CER Directive: Protecting Critical Fiber Optic Infrastructure
- An Interview with 3B Protection
- The evolution of underwater threats
- An Interview with SimSpace
- Agency News
- Industry News
Download your copy at www.cip-association.org/CIPRNews
#criticalinfrastructureprotection #criticalinfrastructure #resilience #cybersecurity #emergencymanagement #riskmitigation #portsecurity #homelandsecurity #firstresponder #riskmanagement #ai #artificalintelligence #energysecurity #gridresilience

ICAO update Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP) for strengthening aviation security

ICAO's newest edition of the Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP) is designed to enhance the international aviation security environment by providing detailed guidance to governments, industry, and other stakeholders. This new plan focusses on six global aviation security priority areas:
- Risk awareness and response;
- The preservation of a strong and effective security culture;
- Human factors (including human performance and the professionalization of the aviation security workforce);
- Innovation and the allocation of technological resources;
- Oversight and quality assurance; and
- Cooperation and support among stakeholders.
ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar addressed the importance of GASeP, “The new ICAO Global Aviation Security Plan is both an acknowledgment of the urgent and evolving aviation security challenges we face and a product of ICAO’s unwavering commitment to confronting them head-on. The Plan is a central element in our support for robust action by governments on aviation security and cybersecurity. It also provides crucial support to our advocacy for heightened resourcing and focus for these priorities.”
This second edition of the GASeP is a response to ICAO Assembly Resolutions A41-18 and A41-19 and is in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 2309 (2016). It aims to help States fulfill their commitments under these instruments and under Annex 17 – Aviation Security of the Convention on International Civil Aviation. States have set themselves an aspirational goal to “achieve and maintain a strong global aviation security system that is underpinned by full and effective implementation of ICAO aviation security Standards in all Member States.”
The GASeP structures States’ progress towards this goal, which will be monitored by ICAO. The results of the UN agency’s Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP), which assesses States’ implementation of ICAO Security Standards, will be used to measure progress towards the aspirational goal and its milestones. Additionally, the voluntary sharing of experience by States and all relevant stakeholders will help measure improvement in the global AVSEC priority areas.
As the global aviation community continues to face evolving security threats, the GASeP serves as a vital tool in ICAO’s ongoing efforts to strengthen aviation security worldwide. ICAO calls upon all States and stakeholders to actively engage with and implement the Plan to ensure a secure and resilient international aviation system.

UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force rehearses undersea critical infrastructure protection from the North Atlantic to the Baltic Sea

The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) has begun a month-long Response Option  activity Nordic Warden this week for strengthening security of the critical undersea infrastructure in the area from the North Atlantic to the Baltic Sea.

JEF partner nations, including Lithuania, will train at  Nordic Warden exchanging information and provide a synchronized and coordinated response to ensure security of critical undersea infrastructure.

Operation activities will include reconnaissance flights and patrols in cooperation with the JEF air forces and navies. Partner nations will also enhance information exchange and coordination to ensure better situation awareness to ships in the JEF area of responsibility. Operation Nordic Warden is controlled from the JEF headquarters in Northwood, UK.

The Response Option activity Nordic Warden is similar to the first JEF activity conducted in December 2023 in response to the critical infrastructure damage in the Baltic and North Sea regions, namely, the damage to the cable connecting Sweden and Estonia, as well as the pipeline between Finland and Estonia, with real capabilities.

From Lithuania’s perspective, partnership in the JEF is one of the initial means of response to any crisis, including damage to undersea infrastructure. It enables resource sharing, intelligence exchange and joint solutions to mutual regional issues.

The JEF is led by the United Kingdom, its comprises maritime, air and land capabilities contributed by the ten Northern European partners: UK, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland.  Geographical proximity, shared sea borders and economy means cooperation on undersea infrastructure security is not just effective but also vital.

Hybrid threats: Council paves the way for deploying Hybrid Rapid Response Teams

The European Council has approved the guiding framework for the practical establishment of the EU Hybrid Rapid Response Teams. This paves the way for such teams to be deployed upon request, to prepare against and counter hybrid threats and campaigns.
Hybrid Rapid Response Teams are one of the key instruments to support EU member states and partner countries in countering hybrid threats as part of the EU Hybrid Toolbox. As one of the key deliverables of the Strategic Compass, they will provide tailored and targeted short-term assistance to member states, Common Security and Defence Policy missions and operations, and partner countries in countering hybrid threats and campaigns.
In a deteriorating security environment, with increasing disinformation, cyber-attacks, attacks on critical infrastructure, instrumentalised migration, and election interference by malign actors, the Hybrid Rapid Response Teams will be an important new capability of the EU to counter new and emerging threats.

TSA announces appointment of members to Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) appointed nine people as voting members of the Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee (STSAC). With these appointments, two new and seven reappointed, the STSAC now includes 30 voting members.
The STSAC was established by Congress in 2019 to advise the TSA Administrator on surface transportation security matters, including recommendations for the development, refinement and implementation of policies, programs, initiatives, rulemakings, and security directives pertaining to the surface transportation sector.
The new members are:
- Christopher Hand, Director of Research, Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen
- Kaitlyn Holmecki, Senior Manager, International Trade & Security Policy, American Trucking Association
The reappointed members are:
- Jared Cassity, Chief of Safety and Alternate National Legislative Director, SMART Transportation
- James Cook, Assistant Chief of Police, AMTRAK
- Brian Harrell, Vice President & Chief Security Officer, AVANGRID
- Norma Krayem, Vice President, Chair, Cybersecurity, Privacy & Digital Innovation Practice Group, Van Scoyoc Associates
- Robert Mims, Director, Technology Security, Southern Company Gas
- Christopher Trucillo, Chief of Police, New Jersey Transit Police Department
- Lowell Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Cold Iron Security
The STSAC members represent each mode of surface transportation, such as freight rail, highways, mass transit, over-the-road bus, passenger rail, pipelines, school bus industry and trucking among others. For a complete list, please see the STSAC Charter. The Committee also has 14 non-voting members who serve in an advisory capacity for two-year terms from the Departments of Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, and Transportation, as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Your latest issue of Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience News has arrived

Download your copy now at www.cip-association.org/CIPRNews
Please find here your downloadable copy of the Spring 2024 issue of Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience News, the official magazine of the International Association of CIP Professionals (IACIPP), for the latest views, features and news, including a Review of the recent Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience North America conference and exhibition in Lake Charles, LA.
Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience News in this issue:
- Protecting Life - Securing Agriculture
- Protect our Electric Grid – Before it’s Too Late
- Connecting Unrelated Industries Strengthens All Sectors
- Why Airspace Awareness Matters for Critical Infrastructure Security
- Critical Infrastructure Resilience: Are we addressing the real challenges? In the right way?
- Break down cyber and physical security silos to improve protection and operations
- An Interview with CITGO
- Is Cybersecurity As Enchanted as Sleeping Beauty?
- CIPRE Review
- Agency News
- Industry News
Download your copy at www.cip-association.org/CIPRNews

CISA Unveils New Public Service Announcement – We Can Secure Our World

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has launched We Can Secure Our World, the second PSA in its Secure Our World cybersecurity public awareness program. The PSA will be promoted widely across the U.S. on television, radio, digital ads, retail centers, social media platforms, and billboards throughout 2024. We Can Secure Our World builds on the success of CISA’s first ever public service announcement (PSA) which launched in September 2023.
A Pew Research Center survey conducted last year shows that 95% of American adults use the internet, 90% have a smartphone and 80% subscribe to high-speed internet at home. Additionally, the survey also reported nearly 70% of children and adolescents have been exposed to at least one cyber risk in the past year. With cyber threats increasing among Americans of all ages, CISA is working to empower all Americans to protect themselves from hackers getting into their devices through easy steps that anyone can do anywhere and anytime.
The Secure Our World cybersecurity public awareness program, initially launched in September 2023, with its first PSA receiving nearly 20,000 views on YouTube, and educational materials including “How to” videos and tip sheets, were downloaded approximately 50,000 times. CISA also had a video that aired at the NFL Experience in the week leading up to the Super Bowl. CISA had a Super Bowl-related social media campaign that garnered more than 200,000 views and reached audiences spanning America’s diverse population.
The Secure Our World program is designed to educate and empower individuals to take proactive steps in safeguarding their digital lives. Tapping into the nostalgia of beloved musical cartoon series from the 1970s and 1980s, the new PSA features lovable character Max from the first PSA and introduces “Joan the Phone” who teaches us how to stay safe online. Through engaging messaging encouraging simple steps to protect ourselves online, the program aims to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and empower individuals to adopt best practices to mitigate online risks.
“Basic cyber hygiene prevents 98% of cyber attacks—why we’re on a mission to make cyber hygiene as common as brushing our teeth and washing our hands. BUT(!) “cyber” anything can seem overly technical and complicated to the vast majority of Americans from K through Gray—why we’re also on a mission to make such information more accessible,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly. “As someone who grew up with Saturday morning cartoons, I am super excited about what we’ve done with our new Secure Our World PSA to leverage a recognizable educational medium to promote cybersecurity best practices. We’re really excited to take public awareness of cyber safety to a whole new level of creativity.”
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