IT when the external connections go down - Consequences and backup options in public organisations

Public organisations' computer networks face many threats. The threats include everything from damage to the physical communications link, to the compromise of end users' computers. If the threats are realised, they can lead to the network connections going down. This report describes the consequences of such unavailability. The exact consequences depend on the specific organisation, but in general, the IT dependence is large, and the security level low, making the consequences high. The possible consequences are exemplified by depictions of real incidents. The report describes how the consequences can be reduced, by using backup options to the regular network. The backup options include both internal efforts, and coordination with other organisations. Which backup options are best suited for an organisation depends on the specific business of the organisation. Regardless of the choice of backup options, it is difficult to achieve functional equivalence with ordinary networks without also suffering similar threats. In addition, the importance of the right backup option increases with the technological dependence in society. On the other hand, the technological development also enables new solutions, thus increasing the resilience.