The Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection (I3P) is a consortium of national cyber security institutions, including academic research centers, U.S. federal government laboratories, and nonprofit organizations, all of which have long-standing, widely recognized expertise in cyber security research and development (R&D). The I3P is managed by The George Washington University, which is home to a small administrative staff that oversees and helps direct consortium activities.
The I3P coordinates and funds cyber security research related to critical infrastructure protection and hosts high impact workshops that bring together leaders from both the public and private sectors. The I3P brings a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional perspective to complex and difficult problems, and works collaboratively with stakeholders in seeking solutions. Since its founding in 2002, more than 100 researchers from a wide variety of disciplines and backgrounds have worked together to understand better and mitigate critical risks in the field of cyber security.
History
The I3P came into existence following several government assessments of the U.S. information infrastructure's susceptibility to catastrophic failure. The first study, published in 1998 by the United States President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), recommended that a nongovernmental organization be formed to address national cyber security issues. Subsequent studies–by the Institute for Defense Analyses, as well as a white paper jointly produced by the National Security Council and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, agreed with the PCAST assessment, affirming the need for an organization dedicated to protecting the nation's critical infrastructures.
In 2002, the I3P was founded at Dartmouth College through a grant from the federal government. Martin Wybourne chaired the I3P from 2003 to 2015. Since its inception, the I3P has: coordinated a national cyber security research and development program built informational and research bridges among academic, industrial, and government stakeholders developed and delivered technologies to address an array of vulnerabilities Funding for the I3P has come from various sources, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Member Institutions
The I3P consortium consists of 18 academic research centers, 5 national laboratories, and 3 nonprofit research organizations. Binghamton University Carnegie Mellon University, H. John Heinz III College of Public Policy and Management Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute Dartmouth College George Mason University George Washington University Georgia Institute of Technology Idaho National Laboratory Indiana University Johns Hopkins University Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory MITRE Corporation New York University Oak Ridge National Laboratory Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Purdue University RAND Corporation Sandia National Laboratories SRI International University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis University of Idaho University of Illinois University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Tulsa University of Virginia Each member institution appoints a primary and secondary representative to attend regular consortium meetings.
Research areas
2011-2014 Research Projects
Advanced Technological Education
The I3P has partnered with the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) on an educational project, “Cybersecurity in Healthcare Industry: Curriculum Adaptation and Implementation.” Funded by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, the goal of the project is to produce well-qualified technicians to serve the healthcare information technology needs of rural northern New England.
Improving CSIRTs
The I3P launched a project called "Improving CSIRT Skills, Dynamics, and Effectiveness." This effort, funded by the United States Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate, aims to explore what makes and sustains a good CSIRT. The results should help organizations ensure that their CSIRTs fulfill their maximum potential and become invaluable tools in securing cyber infrastructure. The interdisciplinary team working on the new project will include cyber security and business researchers from Dartmouth College, organizational psychologists from George Mason University, and researchers and practitioners from Hewlett-Packard.