Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure
From SR
Contents |
Roles
The Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) is the Government authority providing protective security advice to businesses and organisations across the national infrastructure.
CPNI aim to reduce the vulnerability of the national infrastructure to terrorism and other threats, keeping the UK's essential services (delivered by the communications, emergency services, energy, finance, food, government, health, transport and water sectors) safer. These services aim to prevent serious threats, including severe economic damage, grave social disruption, or even large scale loss of life. CPNI advice is targeted primarily at the critical national infrastructure (CNI) - those key elements of the national infrastructure which are crucial to the continued delivery of essential services to the UK.
CPNI provides integrated security advice (combining information, personnel and physical) to the businesses and organisations which make up the national infrastructure. Through the delivery of this advice, we protect national security by helping to reduce the vulnerability of the national infrastructure to terrorism and other threats
History
CPNI was formed from the merger of the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) and a part of MI5 (the UK's Security Service), the National Security Advice Centre (NSAC). Although CPNI was only formed on 1 February 2007, providing security advice has always been part of government strategy to disrupt threats to national security.
Critical National Infrastructure
CPNI advice is targeted primarily at the critical national infrastructure (CNI) - those key elements of the national infrastructure which are crucial to the continued delivery of essential services to the UK. Without these key elements the essential services could not be delivered and the UK could suffer serious consequences, including severe economic damage, grave social disruption, or even large scale loss of life.
Structure
Key partners include government departments with responsibility for infrastructure sectors; businesses and organisations within those sectors that own or operate critical infrastructure; and other security specialists and advice delivery partners including the Police. Effective tripartite relationships between security specialists, government departments and businesses within the national infrastructure are vital to achieving our overarching goal of vulnerability reduction.
