The Critical Infrastructure Protection Program seeks to fully integrate the disciplines of law, policy, and technology for enhancing the security of cyber-networks, physical systems and economic processes supporting the nation's critical infrastructures. The CIP Program grant is used to fund basic and applied research as well as support information and outreach activities related to the key components of the national research agenda. Among the many topics explored, key areas of focus have been cyber security, physical security, information sharing between public and private sectors, regional, state & local issues and privacy concerns.

At the center of the CIP Program is the Core CIP Funded Research, which examines a wide array of issues facing critical infrastructure protection, while providing the ability to seed and spin off additional projects. Secondly, the National Capital Region Critical Infrastructure Vulnerability Assessment Project is a separately funded project at the request of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia. Thirdly, the Private Sector Program is a separately funded project through a contract with the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Infrastructure Protection.

In addition to the basic and applied research activities, the CIP Program maintains an extensive outreach effort to highlight and advance current topical issues relevant to the national agenda. Examples of outreach include our acclaimed Critical Conversation Series, held at the National Press Club, numerous workshops, seminars and conferences, focused on technology, legal, economic and policy areas or quietly convened sessions of government and private sector leaders at the behest of an outside stakeholder. Building upon this outreach and engagement strategy, the CIP Program also publishes The CIP Report, a monthly, electronic newsletter for professionals in industry, government, and academia who have an interest in critical infrastructure protection (CIP). Beginning as a small publication catering to those familiar with the field, the newsletter has grown to an international distribution and provides informed and timely discussion regarding the latest information about emerging legislation, government initiatives and leaders, and academic endeavors.

An overview of the CIP Program and its work can be found in the following PowerPoint presentation.