Observatory · Critical infrastructure
Mapping critical infrastructure dependencies: resilience beyond management standards
A method to identify the services and suppliers on which essential operations depend, without exposing sensitive operational details.
- Format
- Methodological guide
- Area
- Critical infrastructure
- Published
- 31 October 2026
- Author
- International Accreditation Center
- Scope
- General criteria. This guide does not assess any specific organisation, facility or product.
Steps
- Define the essential serviceDescribe the output that must continue, for whom and at what minimum level.
- Trace upstream dependenciesEnergy, communications, data, logistics and specialist suppliers each need an owner and an alternative.
- Set tolerancesMaximum interruption and recovery objectives turn a map into decisions.
- Distinguish evidence typesPlans, exercises, incident history and inspections have different strength.
- Keep detail privatePublic reporting should describe criteria and conclusions, not vulnerabilities.