Critical Infrastructure Systems and Extreme Threat Nexus: Preparing for Resilience and Security

This book synthesizes the findings from a collaborative workshop featuring leading experts from academia, government, and industry, aimed at addressing the intricate interdependencies between climate change, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure resilience.
Delve into key themes such as the vulnerabilities of our energy sector against emerging hazards, the role of autonomous uncrewed systems in maintaining undersea infrastructure, and the metrics necessary for a climate-adapted cyber-physical grid. With chapters like Mapping Critical Infrastructure Interdependencies and Beyond the Trend: Climate Variability as a Threat Multiplier, this book provides a nuanced understanding of how climate change exacerbates risks and challenges across various sectors.
The workshop's dynamic format, including keynote presentations, tabletop exercises, and scenario mapping, has informed the development of actionable strategies for enhancing resilience. Readers will gain insights into diversified reservoir management for water security, the implications of quantum technology on cybersecurity, and the need for a robust response to climate variability.
This book is essential for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners seeking to navigate the complexities of climate adaptation and risk management. Join us in exploring innovative pathways to secure our infrastructure and ensure a sustainable future in the face of unprecedented challenges.

List of contents

1. The cascading impact of cyber on climate.- 2. Vulnerable Links: Human and Social Risks within CPSICC Nexus.- 3. Unraveling The Cyber-Physical-Social Infrastructure Climate Change.- 4. Beyond the Trend: Climate Variability as a Threat Multiplier for Climate Change Impacts on Global Cyber-Physical-Social Systems.- 5. Mapping critical infrastructure interdependencies for building resilience to climate and other risks.

About the author

Matthew Huber
David E. Ross Professor in the Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Department at Purdue University
Matthew Huber is a professor in the Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Department at Purdue University and the inaugural David E. Ross Director of the Institute for a Sustainable Future, Purdue’s transdisciplinary institute working on both fundamental and applied research in areas aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Huber’s scholarship has been internationally recognized for its far-reaching global conclusions on Earth’s habitability, resilience, and sustainability on long time horizons. His research areas include the physical processes generating tropical “thermostats,” the polar amplification of warming, and the environmental, economic, ecological and evolutionary implications of these processes. Over the past decade, Huber’ has shifted focus to emphasize more applied and solutions-oriented research to help society build a better future. Planning for future needs requires seeing energy, environment, economics, climate, health, politics and society as linked systems and considering risk, resiliency, and security in all of these areas concurrently.
Marthie Grobler
Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO
Dr Marthie Grobler is a Principal Research Scientist in human-centred cybersecurity at CSIRO’s Data61 and is the Mission Lead of the Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience Mission. Grobler's research focus is on enhancing the usability of security solutions by considering human factors, with a strong interest in executive education, cybersecurity governance and critical infrastructure resilience and protection. Grobler spearheaded the establishment of the original human-centric security research team in CSIRO, which focuses on addressing the alignment and integration of human factors in the cyber domain to enhance security adoption and efficiency. Her research, management, and consulting experience span multiple continents, national and state government departments, and a variety of domains linked with the digital domain.
Rossitza Homan
Manager, Resilience and Regulatory Effects Department, Sandia National Laboratories
Homan manages a diverse programmatic portfolio for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense. She focuses on the risk and resilience of mission critical systems with particular focus on interdependent cyber-physical and social systems. For example, ICARUS examines anticipated impacts of climate change to inform adaptation options. Homan holds leadership positions across corporate initiatives and research portfolios at Sandia National Laboratories with a focus on mission-driven research, development, and applications for national security. Homan has held prominent technical leadership positions, including a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff special appointment. She has led multi-laboratory and international teams providing decision support to Lockheed Martin, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Homan has taught at the University of Texas, led aerospace research and development at Bell Helicopter and Eclipse Aviation, and has worked at Sandia for 22 years.

Summary

This book synthesizes the findings from a collaborative workshop featuring leading experts from academia, government, and industry, aimed at addressing the intricate interdependencies between climate change, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure resilience.
Delve into key themes such as the vulnerabilities of our energy sector against emerging hazards, the role of autonomous uncrewed systems in maintaining undersea infrastructure, and the metrics necessary for a climate-adapted cyber-physical grid. With chapters like Mapping Critical Infrastructure Interdependencies and Beyond the Trend: Climate Variability as a Threat Multiplier, this book provides a nuanced understanding of how climate change exacerbates risks and challenges across various sectors.
The workshop's dynamic format, including keynote presentations, tabletop exercises, and scenario mapping, has informed the development of actionable strategies for enhancing resilience. Readers will gain insights into diversified reservoir management for water security, the implications of quantum technology on cybersecurity, and the need for a robust response to climate variability.
This book is essential for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners seeking to navigate the complexities of climate adaptation and risk management. Join us in exploring innovative pathways to secure our infrastructure and ensure a sustainable future in the face of unprecedented challenges.

Product details

• Assisted by: Marthie Grobler (Editor), Rossitza Homan (Editor), Matthew Huber (Editor)
• Publisher: Springer International Publishing
• Languages: English, German
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 19.02.2026
• EAN: 9783032131690
• ISBN: 978-3-032-13169-0
• No. of pages: 325
• Illustrations: XV, 325 p.
• Series: NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Geosciences; Computersicherheit, Netzwerksicherheit, Sicherheitssysteme und Brandmeldeanlagen, risk management, Data and Information Security, Cyber-Physical Systems, Security Science and Technology, Earth and Environmental Sciences, disaster risk reduction, Climate Resilience, climate adaptation, Environmental Security, Climate Change Nexus, Resilience Strategy, Infrastructure Resilience