You have been tasked by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to model the effects of a cyber attack against our critical infrastructure. For the PSHS 3152 writing assignment, you will create a case study describing the attack methodology of a hypothetical cyber terrorist attack. For the case study, be sure to cover the following topics:
Target: Select the target of the cyber attack. The target could be a power plant, transportation system or other element of the critical infrastructure. Provide an overview of the target and its criticality. Identify cyber vulnerabilities that could be exploited by an attacker.
Attacker: Provide an overview of the attacker or terrorist group and their motivations for carrying out the cyber attack. What does the attacker hope to achieve through a successful attack?
Attack Methodology: Describe how the attacker would carry out the cyber attack.
Effects: Estimate the effects of the attack. What would the resulting damage, including physical damage to property, loss of life, injury, economic loss, etc., be? What could government, industry and the population do to mitigate the effects of the attack?
Investigation and Prosecution: Which federal, state or local agencies would investigate the attack? Describe the investigative and analysis techniques employed by the government to identify, locate and prosecute the attackers. Identify relevant laws or statutes that could be used to prosecute the attackers.
Prevention: What could be done to prevent similar attacks in the future? Recommend security measures, legal and policy changes, or improved technology that could prevent this type of attack.
