Critical infrastructure is a term used by governments to describe assets that are essential for the functioning of a society and economy - the infrastructure. Most commonly associated with the term are facilities for:

• electricity generation, transmission and distribution;
• gas production, transport and distribution;
• oil and oil products production, transport and distribution;
• telecommunication;
• water supply (drinking water, waste water/sewage, stemming of surface water (e.g. dikes and sluices));
• agriculture, food production and distribution;
• heating (e.g. natural gas, fuel oil, district heating);
• public health (hospitals, ambulances);
• transportation systems (fuel supply, railway network, airports, harbours, inland shipping);
• financial services (banking, clearing);
• security services (police, military).