The Department’s Protective Security Coordination Division conducts specialized field assessments to identify vulnerabilities, interdependencies, and cascading effects of nationally significant critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR).

These vulnerability assessments are the foundation of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan's risk-based implementation of protective programs designed to prevent, deter, and mitigate the risk of a terrorist attack while enabling timely, efficient response and restoration in an all-hazards post-event situation.

Because the majority of all U.S. critical infrastructure is privately owned, the effectiveness of vulnerability assessments depends upon the voluntary collaboration of private sector owner and operators.

Special Reports on Vulnerabilities & Indicators of Terrorist Activity

The Department facilitates information sharing between the government and individual sites and industry sectors, as well as between facilities and sectors, by offering comparative assessment data that supports national-level, cross-sector risk analysis of nationally significant CIKR.

For the Department's federal, state, and local partners only, special reports are available, known as Characteristics and Common Vulnerabilities, Potential Indicators of Terrorist Activity, and Protective Measures. These reports identify common critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, sector-specific background information, and the types of terrorist activities that might be successful in exploiting these vulnerabilities. The reports cover all 18 CIKR sectors.

Types of Vulnerability Assessments Offered

The Department offers the following CIKR vulnerability assessment programs:

• Buffer Zone Protection Program
• Site Assistance Visits
• Computer-Based Assessment Tool
• Regional Resiliency Assessment Program