Obama to sign executive order on cybersecurity information sharing

U.S. President Barack Obama will sign an executive order on Friday to encourage and promote sharing of cybersecurity threat information within the private sector and between the private sector and government, the White House said.

The executive order encourages the creation of information sharing and analysis organizations (ISAOs) to improve cybersecurity collaboration. The order also directs the Department of Homeland Security to fund the creation of a non-profit organization to develop a common set of voluntary standards for ISAOs.

"Rapid information sharing is an essential element of effective cybersecurity, because it enables U.S. companies to work together to respond to threats, rather than operating alone," the White House said in a statement.

"This Executive Order lays out a framework for expanded information sharing designed to help companies work together, and work with the federal government, to quickly identify and protect against cyber threats."

The White House said the order also complements the administration's January legislative proposal that wants companies to share more information about cyberattacks with the government.

Earlier this week, Lisa Monaco, Obama's homeland security and counterterrorism adviser, announced the formation of a new agency called Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center to coordinate cyber threat assessments among existing units. Endite