Sen. Feinstein urges Obama to issue executive order on cybersecurity

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9230789/Sen._Feinstein_urges_Obama_to_issue_executive_order_on_cybersecurity

By Jaikumar Vijayan
Computerworld
August 30, 2012

A senior Democratic lawmaker is urging President Barack Obama to issue 
an executive order aimed at protecting the nation's critical 
infrastructure against cyber threats.

In an open letter to the President on Tuesday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein 
(D-Calif.) called on Obama to use his authority to get government 
agencies and critical infrastructure owners to implement better controls 
for protecting their computer networks.

"While efforts to reach consensus continue, I fear that the Congress 
will be unable to pass meaningful cybersecurity legislation this year," 
said Feinstein, who is the chairman of the Senate Intelligence 
Committee. "Therefore, I believe the time has come for you to use your 
full authority to protect the U.S. economy and the networks we depend on 
from future cyber attack."

The letter is unlikely to do much to bridge the growing divide between 
Republicans and the Democrats on the issue of national cybersecurity 
legislation.

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