What is critical infrastructure? Definition, meaning and safeguards

Critical infrastructure (KRITIS) includes all essential facilities, systems and services that ensure the stable functioning of society and the economy. A failure or impairment of these structures would have far-reaching, possibly catastrophic consequences for public life, the safety of people and the economic performance of a country. Especially in an increasingly networked and digital society, the requirements for the resilience and protection of these infrastructures are continuously increasing. Securing critical infrastructures is therefore a top priority – not only for authorities and companies, but also for society as a whole.

For many years, both government agencies and companies have been intensively involved in identifying, evaluating and safeguarding critical sectors. Their protection ranges from energy supply and telecommunications to state administrative bodies. Recent events surrounding cyber attacks and natural disasters in particular have drastically demonstrated the urgency of effective protection. Companies, operators and authorities are therefore continuously challenged to implement effective protective measures, identify risks and develop new security concepts.

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What does critical infrastructure include? – Definition and delimitation

According to the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), the term critical infrastructure is understood to mean "organizations and facilities of important importance for the state community". The decisive factor is that in the event of a failure or serious disruption of these structures, significant supply bottlenecks or serious threats to public safety, the health system or the economy could arise.

KRITIS consists of a large number of connected physical assets – such as power plants, clinics, peace bridges or transport hubs – and digital structures, including control, communication and data systems. As digitization and connectivity progress, the boundaries between physical facilities and virtual services are becoming increasingly blurred, which also exponentially increases the risks.

Key sectors that typically fall under the KRITIS definition include:

• Energy (power generation, distribution grids, oil and gas supply)
• Information and communication technology (data centres, mobile communications, internet exchanges)
• Transport and traffic (railway network, ports, airports, logistics centres)
• Water supply (drinking water supply, wastewater treatment)
• Food industry (food production, processing and distribution)
• Health (hospitals, transport systems for medicines and patients)
• Finance and insurance ( payment transactions, stock exchanges, banks)
• State and administration (authority structures, police, judicial administrations)

Sectors such as "media and culture" or "research and innovation" are often also discussed, because their role in maintaining social functions becomes obvious, especially in times of crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic and political crises, for example, show how directly processes in society as a whole depend on a robust infrastructure.

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‍Relevance of critical infrastructure for society and the economy

Critical infrastructures form the backbone of social coexistence. Their significance extends far beyond supply failures – they are a prerequisite for the functioning of the economy, health protection, civilisational order and the security of the state. A failure can trigger domino effects that spread to other sectors within a very short time and lead to a threat to lives, prosperity and public order.

Possible consequences of an outage at a glance:

• Widespread supply failures – such as electricity, heating, water
• Interruptions to local and long-distance public transport
• Limited access to health services or emergency care
• Impairment of payment transactions and the supply of cash
• Communication disruptions that block information flows and make crisis management more difficult

The constantly growing digital networking increases complexity and vulnerability. Intelligent control systems, smart grids and IoT devices open up new potential for efficiency and convenience, but at the same time represent entry points for cyber attacks and technical disruptions. The protection of critical IT systems and the permanent adaptation to the state of the art are therefore becoming increasingly important.

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Critical infrastructure sectors at a glance

Exactly which areas fall under critical infrastructure is clearly regulated by legal requirements and industry-specific criteria. The following table provides you with a structured overview of the most important sectors and exemplary institutions:

Many of these institutions are now interdependent. This means that energy suppliers, for example, are dependent on a functioning IT infrastructure and vice versa. The overall system is therefore vulnerable in several respects.

Cross-sectoral dependencies:

For example, a successful cyberattack on a water treatment plant can affect the supply of hospitals. Likewise, physical attacks on mobile sites can massively restrict communication in emergencies. Operators are therefore urged to keep an eye not only on their own facility, but also on the sector structure at all times.

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Legal regulations and compliance in the field of critical infrastructure

In Germany, the IT Security Act (IT-SiG) was passed and continuously developed to protect critical infrastructure. The aim is to ensure a high, uniform level of protection for critical infrastructures and to provide operators with clear guidelines. The most important requirements are:

• Obligation to implement state-of-the-art technical and organizational measures
• Obligation to provide evidence of protective measures taken through regular audits and certifications
• Obligation to report security incidents or serious disruptions to the BSI
• Obligation to achieve security objectives in a timely manner in the event of system conversions or expansions

The IT-SiG is closely linked to European requirements – in particular the NIS Directive (Network and Information Security) – and is constantly being adapted to new threat situations. The focus is on protection against cyberattacks, maintaining operational capability in crisis situations and strengthening resilience.

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Compliance requirements in operations:

Operators must maintain extensive documentation, regularly check their systems for vulnerabilities and act within a short period of time in the event of an incident. This includes the testing of emergency plans as well as the meticulous implementation of rights management for sensitive areas. External testing bodies and certification organizations – such as the BSI – monitor implementation and impose severe fines in the event of violations.

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Dangers & Threats to Critical Infrastructures

Critical infrastructure operators are facing increasing, often intertwined, threats. These range from digital attacks to social manipulation to classic dangers such as natural disasters or vandalism. Critically, many threats can spread from one sector to other areas in minutes.

Cyber threats:

• Ransomware attacks that encrypt entire IT landscapes and paralyze processes
• Phishing and spoofing attacks on employees and administrative staff
• Advanced Persistent Threats (APT) that infiltrate networks in a targeted and long-term unnoticed manner
• Manipulation of control and regulation systems through remote access

Physical threats:

• Acts of sabotage against key facilities, distribution centers and communication hubs
• Burglaries, vandalism and targeted attacks on access controls
• Protest situations or civil unrest that target critical components

Other risks:

• Natural events such as floods, earthquakes, extreme weather conditions
• Disruptions due to supply chain problems, supply failures (e.g. shortage of spare parts)
• Technical failures in complex networks – such as missing updates to IoT devices

Each of these factors can have a serious effect on its own – but the interaction of several threats is particularly dangerous, for example if a cyber attack occurs during an extreme weather event, making crisis response massively more difficult.

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Protective measures for critical infrastructures

Effective protective measures include a multi-layered concept of organisational, technical and structural measures. Only through the interaction of these layers can the risk of a successful attack or failure cascade be minimized.

Organizational measures

• Permanent risk analysis and regular revision of the protection concept
• Preparation and continuous updating of emergency and crisis response plans
• Intensive training and sensitization of the entire staff to current threats and manipulation techniques
• Establishment of reporting channels, escalation protocols and internal alerting structures
• Ongoing tests of the ability to react in an emergency, e.g. through emergency drills

Technical measures

• Use of advanced access control systems, such as digital locking systems (e.g. Mobile Access from BlueID)
• Establishment of segmented networks, firewalls, SIEM solutions and intrusion detection systems
• Regular penetration tests by internal and external specialists
• Ensure redundant system architecture and comprehensive data backups
• Automated update and patching processes to reduce known vulnerabilities

Structural and physical measures

• Installation of perimeter protection and access control systems on sensitive parts of buildings
• Use of video surveillance, motion detectors and mechanical protective measures
• Protection of communication and supply lines against manipulation or sabotage
• Establishment of protected lock areas for staff and suppliers

Practical example: Digital locking systems as a critical infrastructure component

Modern electronic access systems – such as those offered by BlueID – enable central, secure and flexible management of access rights. They allow complete logging of all accesses, quick adjustments of access authorizations in the event of crises or security incidents, and integration into higher-level security and management systems. This enables companies to meet industry-specific compliance requirements and provide additional security and convenience – for example, through remote administration, time-controlled authorization assignment and seamless integration into existing IT landscapes.

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Challenges and future developments

The challenges in critical infrastructure protection are becoming increasingly complex as digitization progresses. The integration of IoT, smart controls and cloud applications opens up additional attack surfaces for hackers, while physical and organizational protective measures remain essential.

• Increasing digital integration: More and more utilities are working with intelligent, networked control systems. The protection of these systems must adapt flexibly and dynamically.
• Danger from social engineering: Manipulation of employees, for example through tailgating or phishing, is a growing threat. Regular awareness training is indispensable.
• Insider threats: Not only external attackers, but also employees or service providers can become a source of risk.
• Regulatory dynamics: New legal requirements such as the IT Security Act 2.0 or the EU Directive NIS2 provide operators with a continuously growing catalogue of measures and increase the complexity of compliance management.
• Combination of physical and digital protective measures: Holistic security concepts that intelligently interlink structural, organizational and technical aspects are the key to future-proof protection.

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Future trend: Artificial intelligence and automation

More and more operators are using AI-powered solutions to detect intrusions, assess risks and automate incident responses. As a result, the balance of power in IT security is shifting rapidly, but it also requires new skills and constant further development of the technologies used.

Practical example: Security concepts in interaction

A real KRITIS protection goal is usually achieved by combining different measures. For example, a critical production facility can be protected by the following security architecture:

1. Digital locking systems: Flexible management of access rights for employees and external service providers; immediate blocking of lost media such as keys or cards.
2. Video surveillance: Real-time transmission of sensitive areas to security centers.
3. Redundant networks: Independent, parallel communication paths exist for vital control processes.
4. Emergency drills: The staff regularly practises how to behave in the event of an incident in order to act without loss of time in an emergency.
5. External audits: Regular checks and penetration tests put the security of the entire system to the test.

Through the transparent, documented implementation of such security concepts, operators not only meet their legal obligations, but also benefit from a significantly lower risk of failure and higher trust among customers and partners.

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Conclusion: Rely on future-proof security solutions for critical infrastructure now

Critical infrastructures secure the stable foundation of our social coexistence. Their protection is not only a legal requirement, but the indispensable prerequisite for economic success, the trust of the population and the ability to act in the event of a crisis. Modern security concepts combine technical innovations, careful organization and the use of smart access technologies to create a holistic protection system that can also meet future challenges.

Electronic access systems – such as BlueID's solutions – are a key factor for the digital security and compliance of critical infrastructure operators. They ensure transparency, flexible controllability and rapid response in exceptional situations.

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FAQ: Frequently asked questions about critical infrastructure

What all counts as critical infrastructure?

Critical infrastructure includes all facilities whose failure would have a serious impact on supply, economy, security and public order – including energy suppliers, food producers, hospitals, transport systems, IT providers and authorities.

Who defines what critical infrastructure is?

In Germany, the BSI determines the criteria on the basis of legal requirements and industry-specific thresholds. The assignment of individual facilities is based on a catalogue that is regularly updated and reviewed.

Why is the protection of critical infrastructures so important?

Because their failure can trigger a chain reaction and massively impair central functions of the state, economy and society – up to supply bottlenecks in everyday life and restrictions on basic areas of life.

What legal requirements apply to KRITIS operators?

They must meet requirements under the IT Security Act, including reporting obligations, technical and organizational protective measures, regular inspections and proof of a high level of security in accordance with the state of the art.

How can companies protect their critical infrastructure?

 With an individually adapted mix of organisational, technical and structural measures, regular review and adaptation of protection concepts as well as the use of access systems, IT security solutions and staff training.

What role do digital locking systems play in critical infrastructure protection?

Digital locking systems enable particularly flexible, secure and central allocation as well as adaptation of access rights. Thanks to seamless logging and integration with other systems, you are optimally prepared for legal compliance requirements and emergencies.