On February 13, 2015, President Obama signed an executive order encouraging the sharing of
information related to cyber-threats between the private and public
sectors. The Order instructs the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) to "strongly" urge private companies, as well as
nonprofit groups, to voluntarily form Information Sharing and
Analysis Organizations (ISAOs) to share details about cyber threats
with other ISAOs and DHS "in as close to real time as
possible."
The Order states that private-sector ISAOs are to "agree to
abide by a common set of voluntary standards, which will include
privacy protections, such as minimization, for ISAO operation and
ISAO member participation. In addition, agencies collaborating with
ISAOs under this order will coordinate their activities with their
senior agency officials for privacy and civil liberties and ensure
that appropriate protections for privacy and civil liberties are in
place and are based upon the Fair Information
