The President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection   was the first national effort to address the vulnerabilities created in the  new information age. The Commission, established in July, 1996, by  Presidential Executive Order 13010, was tasked to formulate a comprehensive  national strategy for protecting the infrastructures we all depend on from  physical and "cyber" threats.

Critical Infrastructures are systems whose incapacity or destruction would  have a debilitating impact on the defense or economic security of the nation.  These include telecommunications, electrical power systems, gas and oil, banking  and finance, transportation, water supply systems, government services and  emergency services.

The Commission, chaired by aerospace industry leader Robert "Tom" Marsh,  included senior representatives from private industry, government and academia.  An Advisory Committee consisting of industry leaders provided counsel to the  Commission and a Steering Committee, made up of cabinet-level officials,  reviewed the Commission's report before forwarding it to the President.

What is the Threat? Anyone with the capability, technology, opportunity,  and intent to do harm. Potential threats can be foreign or domestic, internal  or external, state-sponsored or a single rogue element. Terrorists, insiders,  disgruntled employees, and hackers are included in this profile.

National Security is a Shared Responsibility. The fact that most of the  nation's vital services are delivered by private companies creates a significant  challenge in determining where the responsibility of protecting our critical  infrastructures falls. This Commission addressed this challenge by bringing  the private and public sectors together to assess infrastructure vulnerabilities  and develop assurance strategies for the future. The Commission consulted with  over 6,000 representatives from the private and public sectors including industry  executives, security experts, government agencies and private citizens.

PCCIP Sector Teams. The Commission was divided into five teams, representing  the eight critical infrastructures. Each team evaluated the growing risk, threats,  and vulnerabilities within its sector. The sector teams and their industries include:

• Information & Communications - telecommunications, 
  computers & software, Internet, satellites, fiber optics

• Physical Distribution - railroads, air traffic, maritime, 
  intermodal, pipelines

• Energy - electrical power, natural gas, petroleum, 
  production, distribution & storage

• Banking & Finance - financial transactions, stock & 
  bond markets, federal reserve

• Vital Human Services - water, emergency services, 
  government services

The Commission submitted its report, Critical Foundations, to the White House  in October, 1997.

PCCIP Documents Available

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