TITLE:
Cognitive Security for Critical Infrastructure: A DHS-CISA Strategy for Countering AI-Enabled Social Engineering Threats
AUTHORS:
Sanjoy Mukhopadhyay
KEYWORDS:
Cognitive Security, Artificial Intelligence, Critical Infrastructure Protection, Social Engineering, Cognitive Warfare, Deepfakes, CTAS, CISA
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.10,
October
10,
2026
ABSTRACT: The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the security landscape of critical infrastructure by introducing new forms of cognitive risk that target human decision-making rather than technical systems alone. While cybersecurity frameworks have historically focused on protecting networks, software, and physical assets, the emergence of large language models, deepfake technologies, and AI-enabled influence operations has exposed vulnerabilities within the human element of cyber-physical systems. These technologies allow adversaries to manipulate trust, exploit cognitive biases, and influence operational decisions at unprecedented scale and sophistication. This article argues that human cognition has become a strategic attack surface requiring dedicated protection within national security and critical infrastructure frameworks. Drawing upon research in cybersecurity, cognitive psychology, socio-technical systems theory, and risk governance, the paper introduces Cognitive Security as a new paradigm for infrastructure protection. It further proposes the Cognitive Threat Assessment Standard (CTAS), a Cognitive Kill Chain model, and a Cognitive Security Operations Center (CogSOC) architecture as mechanisms for identifying, measuring, and mitigating AI-enabled social engineering threats. The article concludes that Cognitive Security should become a core component of DHS and CISA efforts to enhance national resilience in an increasingly AI-mediated information environment.