CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES DURING COVID-19

CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES DURING COVID-19

COVID-19 has quickly become different than any emergency the Nation has faced, especially considering our modern, tightly intertwined economy, and our modern way of life. Many cities, counties, and now states are conducting lockdowns until further notice. But what does that mean for our communities and essential businesses?

In traditional emergencies, government coordinates with the private sector to get businesses back to business. In the case we find ourselves in today, as the government works with partners to slow the spread of COVID-19, the economic goal is maintaining resilience of the Nation’s critical infrastructures (CIF).

What is a critical infrastructure?

According to the USA Patriot Act of 2001, critical infrastructures (CIF) are any “systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters.”

The function of our CIFs is absolutely imperative during responses to emergencies for both public health and safety as well as community wellbeing. According to the Department of Homeland Security, these are the 16 critical infrastructure sectors:

Commercial and entertainment

Critical manufacturing

Healthcare and public health

Government and education

Communication

Information technology

Financial services

Chemical

Transportation

Dams

Defense and industrial

Emergency services

Energy

Food and agriculture

Nuclear reactors, materials and waste

Water and wastewater

No matter the terms of lockdowns, rest assure that these sectors will remain open to help the function of our cities and communities.

How can critical infrastructures remain safe? Does your job fall under one of these 16 sectors? Make sure your organization is taking the necessary precautions to prevent threats and protect your facilities- and the people inside.

Educate employees. To cut down on insider threats, hold regular security briefings for emergencies such as this. This lets employees know that the severity of security processes, which could discourage workers who might be trying to compromise your organization in some way, especially during an emergency. It also keeps all staff members well-informed of security policies and helps them avoid mindless mistakes that could threaten your company and the community.

Conduct security screenings. Conducting instant visitor background checks on everyone entering your facilities can instantly catch a potential threat before it compromises your security. FedCheck, helps these 16 sectors rest assure they have the right security technology needed to remain open and secure during emergencies. With the scan of an ID, FedCheck delivers an instant, criminal digital footprint within one second and is the first line of defense when it comes to preventing unwanted visitors.

Terminate access. Be sure you know everyone that is allowed in your facilities. If employees quit or are fired, make sure that you immediately stop the ability to access confidential information. This may include anything from terminating their user accounts to verifying that they have turned in all mobile devices. The same applies to contractors. With FedCheck, every time a visitor or contractor checks in, your security team has the opportunity to deny or grant access with customizable alerts. Giving your team complete control.

By ensuring these 16 critical infrastructure sectors continue to function properly and addressing potential security problems before they develop, we can create a secure facility and a solid foundation to help our communities continue to function during a high-stress time.

Visit cisa.gov for more information on critical infrastructures. Sign up for a free trial of FedCheck here.