Critical Infrastructure Case StudyPower plants are an important .docx
- 1. Critical Infrastructure Case Study
Power plants are an important part of critical infrastructures and
local, state, and national economies. Therefore, power plants
need deep and multilayered access controls due to concerns over
physical security. There are a number of sensitive areas that
must be secured, and various employees need different levels of
access to these locations. At a plant in the upper Midwest, this
access is handled with identity badges that include images of
the user and an RFID with their access rights. The RFID handles
access through multiple levels. There is a security checkpoint at
the entrance to the parking lot, and at the entrance. Both points
require a badge to enter. From there the badge allows personnel
to enter the facilities they are authorized to enter. It also acts as
"something you have" for multipoint authentication onto secure
systems. These are all standard functions for an RFID badge
system. The badges also have an automatic deactivation feature,
which is useful for certain personnel. Maintenance personnel,
for example, do not have enhanced access and do not require
access to secured areas of the site. However, the maintenance
team may need access to any area of the facility regardless of
its sensitivity, in the case of a breakdown or special project. To
allow for this, the badges can be granted access rights that
decay over time. This allows for temporary access to secure
areas that is then automatically revoked over a number of hours
or days. This lowers administrative time, and reduces the risk of
human error in rights assignment.