The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently announced the launch of a new voluntary chemical security initiative, known as ChemLock. This new security program offers facilities that possess dangerous chemicals no-cost services and tools to help them better understand the risks they face and improve their chemical security posture in a cost-effective manner.

Many of the chemicals used by organizations every day are hazardous elements that could be employed in a terrorist attack. Indeed, facilities with dangerous chemicals are an attractive target for terrorists seeking to conduct sensational attacks and cause significant fatalities. According to CISA, the risk of a hazardous chemical incident or event has three components, “the threat of a dangerous chemical being weaponized, the vulnerability of the facility to an attack, and the consequences of an incident if the threat were to occur.”

Threats to facilities with dangerous chemicals can include physical attacks, theft or diversion of chemicals, cyber attacks, unauthorized drone activity, and malicious activities by facility personnel, among others. The ChemLock program is designed to help mitigate these threats and reduce organizational risk. The program offers facility assessments to help identify specific security risks, resource guides and toolkits, exercises, and free training courses. Find out more about ChemLock at CISA.