1. CIKR Research Project

The purpose of the CIKR Research Project is to provide you the opportunity to demonstrate your mastery of the course materials and information presented throughout the semester.

The requirement for the CIKR Research Project is to produce a group research paper on one of the 18 critical infrastructure and key resource (CIKR) sectors. The paper is in two parts, and is worth 30 percent of your final grade.

Part I (15 points): Provide a thorough understanding of the sector that you have chosen. At a minimum, this understanding must include:

• the policies that direct and guide the sector
• the structure and function of the sector
• the regulatory instruments that determine the standards and procedures; changes to sector regulation in the post-9/11 era should also be described
• your understanding of the vulnerabilities of the sector and the potential threats against it

Part II (15 points): The second part of the paper is to research a historical incident that affected the sector. At a minimum, this research should describe the incident and its impact on the sector. It should also identify lessons from the incident that have implications for infrastructure protection and resiliency. Finally, based upon all of the analysis, data, and information resulting from your research, discussions, and conclusions, make thoughtful recommendations about how you would propose changes within the sector to increase protection and security. These recommendations could take the form of new policies, regulations, organizations, and strategies. Be creative and bold.

• Portion 2: information technology  

·         The understanding of vulnerabilities and potential threats

·         Historical incident that has effected the information technology sector (this is the first part of Part II of the paper)

·         Lessons learned from incident and the implications on the sectors protection and resiliency.

5 pages