Security News > 2021 > May > Biden's executive order faces challenges trying to beef up US cybersecurity
On Wednesday, President Biden signed an executive order that aims to strengthen the nation's ability to prevent and respond to cyberattacks that threaten vital assets and systems.
Noting that the country's insufficient cybersecurity defenses leave the public and private sectors more vulnerable to cyber incidents, the Executive Order on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity addresses several key areas for improvement.
The executive order comes in the wake of the recent ransomware attack against Colonial Pipeline, which delivers gas, heating oil and other forms of petroleum to homes and organizations across the East Coast.
Like many government initiatives, the executive order faces key challenges if it's to make a dent in the battle against cyberattacks.
"This executive order is a broad sweeping in terms of both the scope of the order as well as the aggressive timelines laid out by the administration," said Bryan Orme, principal & partner at GuidePoint Security.
Third, the executive order applies mostly to government agencies and seems to have little or no direct impact on the private sector.