Title: Quantitative assessment of critical infrastructures degree of dependency on information and communications technology

Authors: Uche M. Mbanaso; Victor Emmanuel Kulugh; Habiba Musa; Gilbert I.O. Aimufua; Emmanuel S. Dandaura

Addresses: Centre for Cyberspace Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria ' Centre for Cyberspace Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria ' Centre for Cyberspace Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria ' Department of Computer Science, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria ' Centre for Cyberspace Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria

Abstract: This paper presents a computational model for the quantification of critical infrastructure (CI) degree of dependency on ICT. Traditional CIs that support modern society in providing uninterruptable vital services are increasingly ICT dependent. To build the needed bulwark against cyber threats, there is the need to assess their dependency on ICT since ICT infrastructure comes with vulnerabilities that amplify cyber risk. Consequently, the proposed computational model for the quantification of CI degree of dependency on ICT is a function of ICT metrics and indicators based on mathematical constructs. The outcome is ICT dependency index (IDI), and ICT dependency quadrant (IDQ), which compare, rank, and visualise the IDI of sectors and organisations. The findings show that no one sector can be chosen arbitrarily as the most critical ICT dependent. The model is particularly useful for developing countries to uniformly assess CI's degree of dependency on ICT as opposed to uninformed valuation.

Keywords: critical infrastructure; critical systems; critical national information infrastructure; ICT dependency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCIS.2022.120677

International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, 2022 Vol.18 No.1, pp.45 - 62

Received: 09 Jun 2020
Accepted: 05 Oct 2020
Published online: 02 Feb 2022 *

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