Ross Wilkers
A draft White House executive order would create a Department of Homeland Security-led cybersecurity council, which would use cyberthreat intelligence to develop security standards guidance, the Washington Post reports.
Several unnamed officials told the Post the four-page draft would take months to finish.
White House spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden confirmed the administration is considering a cyber executive order as Congress did not pass cyber-related legislation this summer.
Howard Schmidt, formerly President Obama’s top cyber adviser, recently said his former boss should include cyber regulations on procurement and contracting matters in such an order.
According to Ellen Nakashima’s report, the council will include members from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, Justice and the Treasury.
Richard Clarke, a former White House counterterrorism and cybersecurity adviser under the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, told the Post the president can require standards in sectors where executive branch agencies have enforcement authority.
The Transportation Security Administration can regulate pipeline security, the Coast Guard regulates port security and the Federal Railway Administration regulates passenger railroad security, he told the Post.
