U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker Participates in Cybersecurity Framework Launch

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker participated in the launch of the Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity during an event at the White House. The Cybersecurity Framework, called for in a 2013 Executive Order, was created through public-private collaboration and provides a voluntary and non-regulatory set of standards, guidelines and practices to help businesses address and manage cyber risk in a cost-effective way.

Secretary Pritzker moderated a panel discussing the benefits of the Cybersecurity Framework with Marillyn Hewson, President and CEO, Lockheed Martin; Joseph Rigby, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, Pepco Holdings, Inc.; and Randall Stephenson, Chairman and CEO, AT&T. The panelists and Secretary Pritzker discussed how the Framework may help their businesses, as well as the U.S. Commerce Department’s commitment to continue supporting industry in managing evolving cybersecurity risks. White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Michael Daniel, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, and Department of Energy Deputy Secretary Daniel Poneman also participated in the event.

In her remarks, Secretary Pritzker praised the Commerce Department’s National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) cybersecurity team, led by Dr. Patrick Gallagher, for playing a crucial role in the development of the Framework by convening more than 3,000 people from industry, academia and government. NIST will continue its work with those partners to update the Framework to ensure it keeps up with changes in technology and threats, and continues to meet the needs of business.

“As someone who has worked for 27 years in business, I know that good risk management is simply good business. The industry-led Cybersecurity Framework our NIST team helped put together is a critical starting point for organizations that want to do more to reduce their cyber risks,” said Secretary Pritzker. “The Obama administration and Commerce Department are committed to continue supporting this framework to ensure it keeps up with evolving cyber threats and the needs of American businesses.”

To learn more about the Cybersecurity Framework, visit http://www.nist.gov/cyberframework/and http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/02/12/launch-cybersecurity-framework. Please contact the Office of Public Affairs at [email protected] for private sector statements on the Framework.