Nipp risk management framework

The foundation of The National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) is the framework of its risk management plan and execution. Analyzing risk is essential to prioritizing the mitigation efforts for both private and government sectors. The NIPP risk management framework meshes and plans strategies, capabilities, and governance to help agencies make risk-informed decision making related to the Nation’s Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR) (NIPP, 2009).

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Sector-Specific Agency (SSA), as well as public and private partners work to share the responsibility of implementing the NIPP risk management framework. More specifically, the SSAs are responsible for leading sector-specific risk management programs and ensure that the application of the risk management framework is tailored to fit each sector’s demands. DHS works to support SSA’a efforts by providing analytical guidance and support to the SSAs and other partners if needed. DHS, and other partners will use the best available information to conduct cross-sector risk analysis and management activities (NIPP, 2009).

The NIPP risk management is always tailored towards the resource(s) in which it protects. Resources range from fixed assets, information systems, information technology, as well as food and agriculture. Depending on the resource the risk management approach will change. For resources like fixed assets or physical facilities, CIKR sectors would most likely take an asset to asset type approach and manage risks as they revealed themselves. For resources such as Communication, Information technology, information systems, the approach would be more holistic and cover the resource systematically and not asset by asset.

The activities included in the NIPP framework include… -Setting goals and objectives for each infrastructure or resource -Identifying assets, systems, and networks, -Assessing the risks -prioritizing the risks -Implementing programs and strategies to combat the risks -Measuring the effectiveness and results

Each of these activities are applied by both government and private sectors to help ensure a clear, and successful protection plan is implemented for maximum effectiveness. NIPP development of these activities and the effectiveness of working alongside both private and public agencies has led to a sustained level of success as it continues to evolve with time and enhanced technologies.