Recent moves from the Obama administration have put particular emphasis on issues of note to business continuity professionals — cybersecurity and flooding.
First up is the
Cybersecurity Legislative Proposal. Its three focus areas:
- Enabling Cybersecurity Information Sharing: The proposal encourages the private sector to share appropriate cyber threat information with the Department of Homeland Security’s National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, and to form the private sector-led Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations.
- Modernizing Law Enforcement: Among other things, the proposal would allow for the prosecution of the sale of botnets, would criminalize the overseas sale of stolen U.S. financial information like credit card and bank account numbers, and expand federal law enforcement authority to deter the sale of spyware.
- National Data Breach Reporting: the proposal would simplify and standardize existing state laws into a single federal statute requiring businesses that have suffered a breach to notify consumers if their personal information has been compromised.
Meanwhile, President Obama also
signed an executive order aimed at reducing flood damage from climate change.
In the order, the president said:
“These impacts are anticipated to increase over time due to the effects of climate change and other threats. Losses caused by flooding affect the environment, our economic prosperity, and public health and safety, each of which affects our national security. The federal government must take action, informed by the best-available and actionable science, to improve the nation’s preparedness and resilience against flooding.”
Using the best available data, all federal agencies and departments must build either two feet above the 100-year flood elevation or to the 500-year flood elevation. Critical buildings such as hospitals and evacuation centers, must be built at least three feet above the 100-year flood elevation.
