Active indirect lightning protection

An active lightning protection circuit for protecting a device, the active lightning protection circuit comprising:

• a lightning sense circuit operable to sense a current level at a connector port of a device;
• an impedance control circuit connected to the lightning sense circuit, wherein the impedance control circuit is operable to, based on a first current level sensed by the lightning sense circuit indicative of normal conditions, turn ON to present a low impedance path for current flowing towards one or more protected components of the device;
• a transient current cut-off circuit operable to present a high impedance path for the current flowing towards the one or more protected components;
• and
• a drive and monitor circuit operable to, based on a second current level sensed by the lightning sense circuit indicative of a transient, turn ON, wherein turning ON the drive and monitor circuit turns OFF the impedance control circuit and turns ON the transient current cut-off circuit to present a high impedance path for the current flowing towards the one or more protected components.