The Economic Impact of Cybersecurity Threats on Critical Infrastructure: Evaluating U.S. Policy Effectiveness and Private Sector Readiness
Md Nazmul Hossain Palash Md Nazmul Hossain Palash · International Journal of Advances in Engineering and Management · 2025
Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure present escalating risks to national security and economic stability in the United States. This paper assesses the economic consequences of significant cyber incidents across key U.S. sectors, evaluates the effectiveness of prevailing federal cybersecurity policy frameworks, and examines the readiness of the private sector to confront these threats. Drawing on government reports, industry surveys, and three illustrative case studies-Colonial Pipeline (2021), SolarWinds (2020), and Universal Health Services (2020)-the analysis identifies persistent gaps in inter-agency coordination, cybersecurity workforce capacity, and private-sector policy adoption. The paper concludes with targeted recommendations for strengthening national cyber resilience through more robust public-private collaboration, mandatory baseline standards, and sustained investment in workforce development.