On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed the long-delayed cybersecurity executive order. The order was finally signed after months of speeches, numerous cyber discussions and plenty of draft documents. The White House had scheduled a signing ceremony for this order earlier, but it was later scrapped. This order launches sweeping reviews of the federal government’s digital vulnerabilities and directs agencies to adopt and implement specific security practices.
3 Sections Of The Cybersecurity Executive Order
The title of the cybersecurity executive order is – “Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure.” Let’s know the 3 different sections of this long-awaited order.
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1. Cybersecurity Of Federal Networks
Section 1 supports the need to “build and maintain a modern, secure, and more resilient executive branch IT architecture.” The order specifically necessitates each Executive Branch agency to use the NIST Framework for Improving the Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, and successor documents, to manage the agency’s own cybersecurity risk. Earlier to this, the focus of using the NIST Framework has been in the private sector. President Trump has pledged to hold the heads of executive departments and agencies accountable for any cybersecurity risk within their enterprise.
2. Cybersecurity Of Critical Infrastructure
This section represents one among the most awaited areas of the new Cybersecurity executive order. This section focuses on the cyber risks which Critical Infrastructure faces and continues the policies established in the Obama Administration Cybersecurity Executive Order. The order commands the agency heads to provide the President with reports on better supporting the cybersecurity risk management efforts of critical infrastructure on regular basis.
3. Cybersecurity For The Nation
The last section outlines a number of other key items which the Administration is concerned about. It includes-
- Create an Improved Cyber Deterrence Policy focusing on “strategic options for deterring adversaries and better protecting the American people from cyber threats.”
- Focus on International Cooperation and Priorities: focusing on maintaining a “globally secure and resilient internet” working with our allies around the world and will include a focus on “attribution, cyber threat information sharing, response, capacity building, and cooperation.”
- Cyber Workforce Development Priorities: focusing on the need to find, educate and create the next generation of the cyber workforce to better meet the needs of the public and private sectors.
President Trump emphasized on how an engaged workforce would safeguard the U.S. to maintain a cybersecurity advantage. The cybersecurity executive order commands the federal stakeholders to find ways to effectively educate and train the American cybersecurity workforce through advanced education and traineeship plans.
You can view the executive order right here.
Date: 16 May, 2017