Critical Facility: Critical Infrastructure Course

Lesson 1 • Historical Context and Major Incidents

Examines landmark infrastructure failures and attacks to extract lessons. Grounds abstract concepts in documented consequences.

Lesson 2 • Infrastructure Interdependency Concepts

Introduces interdependency types and failure propagation models. Students apply these models to predict cross-sector impact scenarios.

Lesson 3 • Defining Critical Infrastructure

Introduces the concept of critical infrastructure and its societal role. Connects sector definitions to real-world dependency chains.

Lesson 4 • Regulatory and Policy Frameworks

Surveys the policy landscape governing infrastructure protection without referencing specific codes. Students map functional regulatory roles to sector responsibilities.

Lesson 1 • Threat Intelligence and Situational Awareness

Introduces methods for collecting, analyzing, and applying threat intelligence. Students practice translating raw intelligence into actionable facility-level decisions.

Lesson 2 • Cyber Threats to Industrial Systems

Introduces cyber attack categories targeting operational technology and control systems. Connects cyber events to physical infrastructure outcomes.

Lesson 3 • Electromagnetic and Technical Threats

Addresses electromagnetic pulse, radio frequency interference, and related technical threats. Students assess how these threats bypass conventional defenses.

Lesson 4 • Physical and Kinetic Threats

Examines deliberate physical attacks, sabotage, and insider threats. Students distinguish attack vectors and their operational consequences.

Lesson 1 • Asset Identification and Criticality Analysis

Guides systematic identification of assets and ranking by operational criticality. Students produce a prioritized asset inventory for a sample facility.

Lesson 2 • Risk Assessment Fundamentals

Defines risk as a function of threat, vulnerability, and consequence. Establishes the conceptual model used throughout all subsequent assessment work.

Lesson 3 • Vulnerability Assessment Techniques

Covers physical, cyber, and operational vulnerability assessment methods. Students apply structured checklists and scenario-based testing approaches.

Lesson 4 • Risk Communication and Reporting

Develops skills for presenting risk findings to technical and executive audiences. Students draft a risk summary report using standardized formats.

Lesson 1 • Access Control Systems

Examines credential-based, biometric, and multi-factor access control technologies. Students design an access control scheme for a critical facility entry point.

Lesson 2 • Perimeter and Barrier Systems

Covers fencing, vehicle barriers, and standoff distance requirements. Students evaluate barrier options against specific threat scenarios.

Lesson 3 • Surveillance and Detection Technologies

Reviews camera systems, intrusion detection sensors, and guard force integration. Students select and position detection assets to eliminate coverage gaps.

Lesson 4 • Security Operations Center Functions

Defines the role of a security operations center in monitoring and response. Students practice alarm triage and escalation procedures in a simulated environment.

Lesson 1 • Network Architecture and Segmentation

Covers purdue model architecture, DMZ design, and network segmentation for OT. Students diagram a segmented OT network for a sample facility.

Lesson 2 • OT vs. IT Security Distinctions

Contrasts operational technology environments with traditional IT systems. Students identify why standard IT security practices require adaptation for OT contexts.

Lesson 3 • OT Asset Inventory and Patch Management

Addresses the challenge of maintaining accurate OT asset inventories and applying patches safely. Students develop a patch management workflow for a live production environment.

Lesson 4 • OT Incident Response Procedures

Defines incident response steps tailored to OT environments where uptime is critical. Students execute a tabletop exercise simulating a control system compromise.

Lesson 1 • Business Impact Analysis for Facilities

Teaches structured analysis of operational impacts from facility disruptions. Students calculate recovery time and recovery point objectives for critical processes.

Lesson 2 • Redundancy and Backup Systems

Covers redundant power, communications, and data backup architectures. Students specify redundancy levels aligned with criticality ratings from prior assessments.

Lesson 3 • Continuity of Operations Planning

Guides development of continuity plans covering alternate operations and succession. Students draft a continuity of operations plan for a sample facility scenario.

Lesson 4 • Plan Testing and Continuous Improvement

Establishes a cycle of exercises, after-action reviews, and plan updates. Students design a multi-year exercise program for a critical facility.

Lesson 1 • Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place Procedures

Covers evacuation route design, assembly point management, and shelter-in-place protocols. Students evaluate an existing facility evacuation plan for gaps.

Lesson 2 • Post-Incident Recovery and Lessons Learned

Guides the transition from emergency response to recovery operations. Students conduct a structured after-action review of a simulated facility incident.

Lesson 3 • Emergency Notification and Warning Systems

Reviews mass notification, alert, and warning technologies for facility emergencies. Students design a notification cascade for a multi-building campus.

Lesson 4 • Resource Management During Crises

Teaches tracking, requesting, and demobilizing resources during extended incidents. Students practice resource request workflows using standardized forms.

Lesson 1 • Regulatory Compliance Management

Addresses ongoing compliance with sector-specific protection standards and audit requirements. Students map compliance obligations to program controls.

Lesson 2 • Security Program Governance

Establishes governance frameworks, policy hierarchies, and accountability structures for security programs. Students draft a governance charter for a critical facility security function.

Lesson 3 • Budget Development and Capital Planning

Covers security budget justification, capital project planning, and cost-benefit analysis. Students prepare a multi-year security investment proposal.

Lesson 4 • Program Maturity and Continuous Improvement

Introduces maturity models and improvement roadmaps for security programs. Students assess a program against a maturity framework and propose advancement steps.