Cybersecurity Gets a Presidential Push in New EO

In the much anticipated cybersecurity Executive Order (EO) issued on Feb. 12, 2013, President Obama identified the cyber threat as "one of the most serious national security challenges we must confront," established a Presidential policy for the U.S. "to increase the volume, timeliness, and quality of cyber threat information shared with the U.S. private sector entities," and provided deadlines for federal agencies to prepare procedures for enhanced sharing of cyber threat information with eligible private entities. In addition, the cyber EO triggers deadlines for the FAR Council to develop recommendations on "the feasibility, security benefits, and relative merits of incorporating security standards into acquisition planning and contract administration," thus signaling a likely push for new cybersecurity acquisition regulations for government contractors and the private sector.