The U.S. government has announced new guidelines regarding its response to cyberattacks against both public and private sectors. The Presidential Policy Directive 41 (PPD 41) on United States Cyber Incident Coordination addresses the new risks businesses face in the age of increased cyberattacks. The oil and gas industry is one of the industries affected by these changes. There are industry specialists for and against this new directive.
John Riggi, who leads BDO's cybersecurity and financial crimes unit, believes PPD 41 is a positive step. Himself an FBI veteran, Riggi notes that cyberattack victims would be entitled to additional services from the FBI. For example, the FBI would provide guidance and resources to help these victims manage their response, including coordinating media and other communications.
The federal government would be required to share information with the private sector, which Riggi believes will create a unified and coordinated approach to these attacks.
Some are more hesitant to declare PPD 41 a win for the oil and gas industry. Jeremiah Talamantes is managing partner of RedTeam Security, which handles cybersecurity for many oil and gas firms. He believes this directive could negatively impact the industry. Talamantes has some concerns that the federal government could use PPD 41 to involve itself and add additional regulation, which means more liability, cost, and public exposure for these operators.
For more information, and other industry opinions on the new policy directive, see the article from Rigzone.
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