Biden-Harris Administration Expands Cybersecurity Partnership in Chemical Sector
On October 26, 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration announced it is expanding its Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Cybersecurity Initiative to the chemical sector. The ISC Cyber Security Initiative was launched in April 2021 to strengthen the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure across the country through private sector and government collaborations. The focus of the collaboration is to facilitate the deployment of technologies and systems that provide threat visibility, indications, detections and warnings, and facilitate responses. The Initiative is currently underway in other industrial sectors including water and wastewater, and energy.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) and the nation’s leading chemical companies are jointly developing the Chemical Action Plan over the next 100 days. The Plan will detail the chemical industry self-assessment of current cybersecurity practices, lessons learned and best practices. The plan will include the following:
- Focus on high-risk chemical facilities that present significant chemical release hazards, with the ultimate goal of supporting enhanced ICS cybersecurity across the entire chemical sector.
- Drive information sharing and analytical coordination between the Federal Government and the chemical sector.
- Foster collaboration with sector owners and operators to facilitate and encourage the deployment of appropriate technologies, based on each chemical facility’s own risk assessment and cybersecurity posture (the Federal Government will not select, endorse, or recommend any specific technology or provider).
- Support the continuity of chemical production critical to the national and economic security of the country.
For more information on CISA’s role in securing critical infrastructure and the Securing Industrial Control Systems initiative, visit the Agency’s website.
