Critical infrastructures (KRITIS) are organizations or facilities that are important for the state community and whose failure or impairment would result in lasting supply bottlenecks, significant disruptions to public safety or other dramatic consequences. In Germany, the protection of critical infrastructures is considered a central task of national and public security.

Legal basis

1. the BSI Act (BSIG) 2. the IT Security Act (ITSiG) 3. the Ordinance on the Determination of Critical Infrastructures under the BSI Act (BSI-KritisV) 4. sector-specific laws and ordinances

KRITIS sectors

In Germany, the following nine sectors are defined as critical infrastructures: 1. Energy
2. Information technology and telecommunications
3. Transportation and traffic
4. Health
5. Water
6. Food
7. Finance and insurance
8. Government and administration
9. Media and culture

Criteria for KRITIS operators

Classification as a KRITIS operator is based on specific threshold values defined in the BSI-KritisV. These thresholds often relate to: 1. level of coverage (e.g. number of people served)
2. economic importance
3. Technical capacities

Obligations of KRITIS operators

1. implementation of appropriate organizational and technical precautions to prevent incidents 2. reporting of significant IT security incidents to the BSI 3. appointment of a contact person for the BSI 4. regular verification of compliance with IT security requirements

Role of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI)

1. defining minimum standards for IT security 2. advising and supporting KRITIS operators 3. receiving and analyzing reports on IT security incidents 4. conducting inspections and audits

Challenges for KRITIS operators

1. complexity: increasing networking and interdependencies between different infrastructures 2. cyber security: growing threat of cyber attacks 3. technological change: need to continuously adapt to new technologies 4. regulatory requirements: Compliance with constantly evolving legal requirements 5. Resource allocation: balancing security investments with other operational priorities

Significance for national security

1. ensuring security of supply 2. protection against terrorism and sabotage 3. maintaining public order 4. ensuring economic stability 5. strengthening resilience to natural disasters and technical disruptions

International dimension

1) EU Directive on Network and Information Security (NIS Directive) 2) Cross-border cooperation to protect critical infrastructures 3) Harmonization of standards and best practices at international level

Future prospects

1. increased integration of AI and machine learning in protection concepts 2. development of cross-sector resilience strategies 3. increasing importance of public-private partnerships in KRITIS protection 4. adaptation to new threat scenarios (e.g. climate change, pandemics)

Importance for companies

1. compliance: KRITIS operators must fulfill extensive regulatory requirements 2. investment: Need for significant investment in security and resilience 3. Reputation management: KRITIS status can be both an opportunity and a risk to corporate reputation 4. Innovation driver: KRITIS requirements can drive innovation in security technologies 5. Workforce development: Need for specialized critical infrastructure protection professionals

Conclusion

The protection of critical infrastructures is a key challenge for Germany’s national security and economy. The complexity and interconnectedness of modern infrastructures require a holistic approach that encompasses technical, organizational and regulatory measures. For KRITIS operators, this means increased requirements and responsibilities on the one hand, but also the opportunity to take on a pioneering role in terms of security and resilience on the other. Continuous adaptation to new threat scenarios and technological developments will remain a key task in the future. The protection of critical infrastructures will therefore remain a key issue for Germany’s security and economic policy and requires close cooperation between the state, business and society.