E.O. 13231

Citation
Executive Order (E.O.) 13231 &mdash; Critical Infrastructure Protection in the Information Age (Oct. 2001) (amended by E.O. 13286, Feb. 28, 2003) (full-text).

Overview
E.O. 13231 provides specific policy direction to ensure protection of information systems for critical infrastructure, including emergency preparedness communications and the physical assets that support such systems. It recognizes the important role that networked information systems (critical information infrastructure) play in supporting all aspects of our civil society and economy and the sectors have become dependent upon such systems. It formally establishes, as United States policy, the need to protect against disruption of the operation of these systems and to ensure that any disruptions that do occur are infrequent, of minimal duration, manageable, and cause the least damage possible.

The Executive order specifically calls for the implementation of the policy to include “a voluntary public-private partnership, involving corporate and nongovernmental organizations.” The order also reaffirms existing authorities and responsibilities assigned to various executive branch agencies and interagency committees to ensure the security and integrity of federal information systems generally and of national security information systems in particular.