President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order that seeks to enhance the U.S. Coast Guard’s authority to address and respond to cyberthreats facing vessels, harbors, ports and waterfront facilities.
The EO directs mandatory reporting of cyber incidents involving any vessel, port or harbor to the FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Captain of the Port, or the Officer of the Coast Guard, the White House said Wednesday.
The new policy will provide the Coast Guard with authority to inspect vessels and waterfront facilities as well as control the movement of any vessel that poses a cyberthreat to the country’s maritime infrastructure.
According to a White House fact sheet, the Coast Guard will release a maritime security directive on cyber risk management measures for Chinese-built ship-to-shore cranes at U.S. commercial strategic seaports as part of efforts to ensure the security of the U.S. maritime infrastructure’s digital ecosystem.
Crane operators and owners must conduct several actions on such cranes and related operational and information technology systems.
Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Cyber Summit on June 6 and hear cyber experts, government and industry leaders discuss the latest trends and the dynamic role of cyber in the public sector. Register here!
