Critical Infrastructure Protection

Critical infrastructure can be defined as systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, that if rendered inoperable or destroyed would have a debilitating impact on national security, the national economy, compromise public health and safety, or any combination of these effects.

In accordance with the risk management framework identified in the National Infrastructure Protection Plan released in 2006, the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Section, within the California Office of Homeland Security has become the cornerstone of efforts to identify, prioritize and protect the State’s broad array of critical infrastructure and key resources (CI/KR).

The CIP section team has built extensive relationships with numerous partners to facilitate the identification, prioritization, and protection of California’s vital assets. Key partnerships include site owners and operators, first responders, public and private organizations and associations, and other levels of government, including local, State, Federal, and Tribal partners.

Through these partnerships, we have obtained and shared the information needed to identify the most critical sites, apply the risk management strategy as defined by DHS to prioritize assets, and apply the most appropriate protective measures.

California's critical infrastructure is represented in the following 17 sectors: