Biden signs memorandum to secure sensitive national security systems
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a national security memorandum that establishes metrics for improving the cybersecurity of national security systems
The order specifies how national security systems, the most sensitive information technology systems within the government, should comply with a May 2021 executive order designed to improve cybersecurity across the federal government.
While that executive order laid out a broad set of tasks for managers of national security systems, the new memorandum establishes specific timelines and guidance for implementation. This includes requiring multifactor authentication and encryption.
The memorandum also requires agencies to develop a plan to implement zero trust architectures, a move considered critical to protecting systems and information from both inside and outside threats.
Rob Carey, who previously served as chief information officer for the Navy and deputy CIO at the Pentagon, said the memorandum is a “necessary next step.”
“The action taken by the president raises the cybersecurity bar in the federal government to a consistent, higher level that aligns with that which is already required of the national security agencies and their systems,” said Carey, who now is president of Cloudera Government. “It will also utilize the preeminent cybersecurity expertise in the nation (the National Security Agency) and expand its role in defending the nation.”
The memorandum also mandates improved visibility of cybersecurity incidents that occur and requires agencies to report cyber incidents to the National Security Agency.
Agencies must secure cross domain solutions, which are tools that allow the transfer of information and data between classified and unclassified systems. These solutions can be avenues or vectors of attack for adversaries that gain access and burrow deeper into sensitive systems.
https://www.c4isrnet.com/it-networks/2022/01/19/biden-signs-memorandum-to-secure-sensitive-national-security-systems/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/01/19/memorandum-on-improving-the-cybersecurity-of-national-security-department-of-defense-and-intelligence-community-systems/
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@NSA your guys at the SOC just got a heavier workload, didn't they? lol
Interesting timing though…