CJ 682 SNHU Key Asset and Threat Identification Paper

Our national well-being relies on a secure and resilient critical infrastructure, which has the assets, systems, and networks that serve as the backbone to our nation’s economy, security, and health. State and local law enforcement must be diligent about properly identifying and analyzing critical facilities and their functions for areas of vulnerability, and ultimately improving security. Evaluation of a community’s critical infrastructure and key assets should be ongoing. 

Threat assessments of key assets are fundamental to mitigating risks and hazards, including deterring potential terrorist attacks. The nation possesses numerous key assets, and if they were damaged or destroyed by terrorists, the results could be catastrophic to the local community and the nation. Strategic improvements to protect or eliminate the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and key assets can make it more difficult for terrorists to succeed in carrying out an attack. Analysts in the intelligence community often play a supporting role in identifying and assessing terrorist-related threats to critical infrastructure and key assets. Due to the difficulty of accurately assessing vulnerabilities, terrorist motivations, and capabilities, analysts’ assessments can sometimes involve a degree of subjectivity. 

For this project, you will play the role of an intelligence analyst working in coordination with the regional Joint Terrorism Task Force. You will conduct a threat assessment report for a specific key asset within a critical infrastructure sector of your choice. You will begin by identifying the key asset and discussing the past and present terrorist threats to the selected location and its sector. Next, you will determine the known or probable areas of vulnerability of the key asset. Then, you will gauge the importance of the key asset by considering the adverse consequences that would occur if the asset were attacked. Finally, you will propose countermeasures to increase the security of the location. 

In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

? Analyze intelligence related to critical infrastructure for determining current terrorist threats to a potential target 

? Analyze potential targets for determining areas of vulnerability that may be exploited by terrorists 

? Assess the likelihood of a terrorist attack occurring on a potential target based on current threats to the location

? Assess the criticality of a key asset by illustrating the consequences of potential terrorist attacks 

? Recommend countermeasures for addressing areas of vulnerability in key assets and deterring terrorist threats 

Prompt In the final project, you will assume the role of an intelligence analyst working in coordination with the regional Joint Terrorism Task Force. You will conduct a threat assessment report on a key asset of your choice.Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed: 

I. Asset Identification: Introduce the key asset that your report focuses on, including the critical infrastructure sector that the asset belongs to

II. Threat Identification: In this section, you will discuss the past and current man-made (terrorist) threats that make the key asset a potential target for terrorist activity. A. Determine the current terrorist threats against the key asset’s critical infrastructure sector. Support your response with evidence. B. Explain the history of past terrorist threats against the key asset. C. Determine the domestic and/or international terrorist groups that currently pose a threat to the key asset. Support your response with evidence. D. Explain the motivations, capabilities, and tactics of the terrorist groups that pose a threat to the key asset. Support your response with evidence. E. Rate the current threat level to estimate how likely it is that a terrorist attack will occur on the key asset. Justify your reasoning. Use a scale from 0–10 for your rating, with “0” being no risk of an attack and “10” being an imminent risk. 

III. Vulnerability Identification: In this section, you will determine the areas of vulnerability of the key asset that may be exploited byterrorists. A. Develop a comprehensive profile of the key asset, utilizing the four main categories of people, property, proprietary information, and reputation. B. Explain why you believe this key asset deserves protection based on the profile of the location. C. Describe the common vulnerabilities of the critical infrastructure sector that the key asset is a part of, and support with evidence. Be sure to include physical, cyber, and personnel vulnerabilities. D. Using your analysis of your key asset and its critical infrastructure sector, determine the known and/or probable vulnerabilities of the key asset. Defend your response.

IV. Vulnerability Assessment: In this section, you will assess the overall vulnerability of your key asset. A. Explain how the motivations, capabilities, and tactics of the terrorist groups previously identified could impact their decision to target the key asset. B. Determine which of the asset’s known and/or probable vulnerabilities are the most likely to be exploited by terrorists. Explain your reasoning. C. Using what you determined above, rate the current vulnerability level of the key asset, and justify your reasoning. Use the scale from the vulnerability worksheet to assist in determining your rating. 

V. Consequence Assessment: In this section, you will gauge the importance of the key asset to the community by considering the adverse consequences that would result from the loss of or serious damage to the asset. Consequences may include a human impact, economic impact, or the impact on public confidence or government capability. A. Predict the level of damage that terrorist groups could inflict on the key asset if they are successful in carrying out their threats. Include examples to support your response. B. Explain the potential impact to the local community if an attack were to occur on the key asset, and support with examples. C. Explain the potential impact to the nation if an attack were to occur on the key asset, and support with examples. D. Estimate the severity of adverse consequences if an attack were to occur on the key asset. Justify your reasoning. Use the following scale: low, medium, or high. 

VI. Countermeasures: In this section, you will recommend countermeasures that increase the security of the key asset and help protect it from terrorist threats. A. Recommend countermeasures to increase the security of the key asset. Explain how each countermeasure will help address the key asset’s vulnerabilities. Your recommendations should address the following components: i. Physical security ii. Cybersecurity iii. Personnel security iv. Crime Prevention through Environmental Design Strategy B. Defend why implementing these countermeasures would help deter any known or potential terrorist threats to the key asset. C. Threat Assessment Partnerships: Identify the appropriate local and regional agencies to partner with in the threat assessment process. Provide examples of how each agency can assist. These may be government, law enforcement, and/or and public- or private-sector agencies that could help enhance the security of the key asset.