Critical Infrastructure Protection in the Information Age

This executive order establishes the President's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board to coordinate federal efforts protecting information systems for critical infrastructure across sectors including energy, finance, transportation, and healthcare. It creates a voluntary public-private partnership framework, establishes the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) for private sector input, and assigns specific security oversight roles to OMB, Defense, and the CIA while preserving existing agency authorities.

Federal Register Open PDF 66 FR 53063

Impact dates

Oct 16, 2003
NIAC terminates unless extended by President

Key directives

Establish President's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board with cross-agency membership
Chair serves as Special Advisor to President for Cyberspace Security
Create National Infrastructure Advisory Council with max 30 private sector/academic/State-local members
Designate OMB Director to develop government-wide information security policies for executive branch
Assign Defense Secretary and DCI responsibility for national security information systems security
Coordinate with existing offices: CIAO, NIST, NIPC, NCS
Establish 11 standing committees covering sectors from financial infrastructure to international affairs
Ensure cost-effective security built into government information systems
Promote voluntary Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs)
Revoke Executive Order 13130

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Establishment of the President's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board
Chair designated as Special Advisor to the President for Cyberspace Security
Revocation of Executive Order 13130
Standing committees established with designated chairs

Near term (90d)

NIAC members to be appointed by President
Board staff to be established within White House Office
Development of procedures for streamlining Policy Coordinating Committee functions
Initial coordination with Office of Homeland Security on assigned functions

Long term

NIAC terminates October 16, 2003 unless extended by President
Periodic National Plan proposals
Annual budget request coordination for research and demonstration projects
Ongoing voluntary public-private partnership development

Risks & tensions

Voluntary partnership model may limit enforcement leverage with private sector
Dual reporting structure for Chair to both National Security and Homeland Security assistants creates potential coordination friction
Explicit preservation of existing agency authorities may produce jurisdictional overlaps with Board coordination role
Funding constraint: only Office of Homeland Security funds available for Board administrative support
Vague 'periodic basis' for National Plan proposals lacks specific schedule accountability