The US White House is planning to issue an executive order intended at securing US computer networks from cyberattacks.
A former government cyber-security official told Reuters that the executive order would give the agencies 90 days to propose new regulations and create a new cybersecurity council at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The council will also include representatives from the Defense Department, Justice Department, Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Commerce.
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs chairman Joe Lieberman urged US president Barack Obama to issue an executive order.
In April this year, the US House of Representatives had passed a cybersecurity bill that will help US companies and government agencies better protect themselves from dangerous hackers and fight cyberattacks.
In August 2012, Obama considered to issue an executive order that will force companies that are part of the nation’s critical infrastructure to improve their cyber security skills.
Lieberman’s bill was defeated in August this year by Republican opposition backed by the US Chamber of Commerce, which felt that the bill will require companies to comply with potentially costly federal standards.
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According to survey conducted by B2B International in July this year in collaboration with Kaspersky Lab, about 41% of enterprises across the world are not prepared to deal with cyber attacks.
In July 2012, a new report by Symantec revealed that small and medium businesses are increasingly becoming the target of cyber attacks, with 36% of attacks recorded during the last six months aimed at organisations with fewer than 250 employees.
