White House releases executive order for improving cybersecurity

On February 12, the Obama Administration released their Executive Order for improving critical infrastructure cybersecurity. News of the Order began to spread when the first draft of the Order was prepared in September 2012, creating a buzz among the Homeland Security community.

The Order creates a policy for addressing cyber intrusions into U.S. critical infrastructure, and enhances the security and resilience of that infrastructure, which includes national security, economic security, and public health and safety systems. The Order also increases the volume, timeliness, and quality of cyber threat information sharing between intelligence and law enforcement entities, while protecting intelligence and law enforcement sources, methods, operations, and investigations.

The new Order increases intergovernmental and interagency cooperation, and strengthens U.S. government partnerships with private sector entities. The Order establishes a consultative process as well. This process requires the coordination of relevant councils, critical infrastructure owners and operators, various agencies, universities, experts, and state, local, territorial, and tribal governments.

For more information about the Executive Order, please follow the links below.
Executive Order – Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, White House
Fact Sheet: Executive Order on Cybersecurity/Presidential Policy Directive on Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience, Department of Homeland Security
Update on Cybersecurity Executive Order, Simons Center
Executive Order to Address Cybersecurity, Simons Center