On Wednesday, February 12, the White House released the Framework
for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity. The
Framework represents the culmination of a year-long private-sector
led effort to create voluntary guidelines for businesses which are
a part of the "critical infrastructure" – banks,
utilities, public transportation, etc. – to strengthen their
cybersecurity. While the focus of the Framework is the critical
infrastructure of the country, it provides excellent guidance for
all businesses concerned about data security. The National
Institute of Standards and Technology assembled input from the
private and government sectors, and drafted the Framework.
The Framework contains three parts: the Framework Core, the
Framework Profile, and the Framework Implementation Tiers. The
Framework Core is a compilation of cybersecurity activities,
outcomes, and source material references that are common across
critical infrastructure sectors, providing the detailed
