CISA Creating Physical Security Performance Goals for Critical Infrastructure Sectors

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is developing physical security performance goals to address physical threats that could impact critical infrastructure operations.

In an interview, David Mussington, CISA’s executive assistant director for infrastructure security, highlighted the need to address “worsening” insider threats to 16 critical infrastructure sectors.

The agency plans to coordinate with industry stakeholders to inform the creation of the physical security performance goals following interagency discussions to determine whether each sector requires specific goals, Federal News Network reported.

According to a CISA spokeswoman, the performance goals will enable owners and operators to identify and manage physical security risks, implement holistic security planning, and secure funding for security enhancements.

Mussington said the goals will be written in a way that non-security professionals can understand “to give people access to abstract away from very complicated literature that may be in sources that people wouldn’t generally go to.”

The development comes ahead of National Safety Month, during which CISA will work to increase public awareness of physical security.