Critical infrastructure refers to the foundational systems, assets, and networks essential for the functioning and continuity of society, which, if disrupted, would have a significant impact on public health, safety, economic security, and national resilience. This encompasses physical and cyber systems across sectors such as energy, water, healthcare, communications, transportation, and financial services. The intricate interdependencies between these sectors amplify the vulnerabilities and potential cascading effects of disruptions, thus necessitating a synergistic approach to protect and sustain them. In an era of escalating complexity and technological integration, ensuring the resilience of critical infrastructure is vital for maintaining societal coherence and enabling adaptive responses to emergent challenges, underscoring a proactive and systems-oriented stewardship.

See also: biosecurity, collective action, global governance, nuclear weapon, systems thinking