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U.S. President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order to enhance the ability of states, local governments, and citizens... The post Trump prioritizes infrastructure resilience against cyber attacks, rolls out National Resilience Strategy appeared first on Industrial Cyber.
Analysis Summary
# Regulation/Compliance: National Resilience Strategy & Infrastructure Policy Shift (Executive Order)
## Overview
An Executive Order by the U.S. President establishing a **National Resilience Strategy** to enhance the ability of federal, state, and local governments, as well as citizens, to prepare for and respond to cyber-attacks and severe weather events. It mandates a shift in national critical infrastructure policy from an "all-hazards" approach to a **risk-informed approach** focused on action and resilience, and initiates a review of numerous related prior memoranda and executive orders.
## Key Details
- Issuing Authority: U.S. President (Executive Action)
- Effective Date: Date of Presidential Action (Specific 2025 date implied by context, but key deadlines start running from the date of issue)
- Jurisdiction: Federal, State, and Local Governments within the United States.
- Status: In Effect (as a directive establishing mandated actions and timelines)
## Requirements
### Mandatory Requirements
1. **Publish National Resilience Strategy:** Within 90 days, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), in coordination with relevant offices, *shall* publish the National Resilience Strategy outlining priorities, means, and ways to advance national resilience.
2. **Review Critical Infrastructure Policies:** Within 180 days, the APNSA *shall* review all critical infrastructure policies and recommend revisions to the President to:
* Shift from an "all-hazards" approach to a risk-informed approach.
* Prioritize resilience and action over mere information sharing.
* Implement the National Resilience Strategy.
3. **Review National Continuity Policies:** Within 180 days, the APNSA *shall* review all national continuity policies.
4. **Propose Communication Improvements:** Within 1 year, the Secretary of Homeland Security *shall* propose changes to policies governing Emergency Support Functions, Recovery Support Functions, and Community Lifelines to ensure improved communication and understanding of the Federal role for State, local governments, and individuals.
5. **Establish National Risk Register:** Create a mechanism to identify, describe, and measure risks to national infrastructure, related systems, and users to guide spending and planning.
### Recommended Practices
1. Infrastructure prioritization and strategic investments should be guided by risk-informed decisions that emphasize community and economic resilience.
2. Simplification of federal preparedness and response policies to allow state and local authorities better comprehension and planning capabilities.
## Affected Organizations
- Industries: Notably targets sectors involving **Critical Infrastructure** (as indicated by the review areas), including Food and Agriculture.
- Organization Size: Applies broadly to **State, local governments, and federal agencies** responsible for infrastructure and emergency management.
- Geographic Scope: United States.
## Compliance Timeline
- **Within 90 days of the Order:** Publication of the National Resilience Strategy.
- **Within 180 days of the Order:** Recommendations for revisions/rescissions to critical infrastructure policies and review of national continuity policies.
- **Within 1 year of the Order:** Secretary of Homeland Security to propose changes to continuity framework policies for improved State/local communication.
- **At least every four years (or as appropriate):** The National Resilience Strategy must be reviewed and revised.
## Implementation Guidance
### Assessment Phase
- **Review of Prior Directives:** Organizations must analyze existing initiatives governed by NSM-16 (Food/Agriculture), NSM-22 (Critical Infrastructure Security), EO 14017 (Supply Chains), and EO 14123 (White House Council on Supply Chain Resilience) to understand what policies are subject to review or potential repeal/modification.
- **Identification of Risk Exposure:** Begin mapping current infrastructure against emerging threats to inform the shift toward a risk-informed posture.
### Implementation Phase
- **Policy Alignment:** Agencies and entities involved in preparedness and response must prepare to incorporate the newly published National Resilience Strategy into their operational plans.
- **Communication Protocol Overhaul:** Entities involved in continuity functions must prepare to revise procedures to streamline federal-state/local communication as mandated by the DHS proposal timeline.
### Validation Phase
- **Policy Modernization:** Federal agencies must demonstrate that revised policies demonstrably prioritize action and resilience over documentation/information sharing where applicable.
- **Risk Register Integration:** Ensure planning utilizes data derived from the newly established National Risk Register.
## Technical Requirements
The Order focuses primarily on **policy, strategy, and governance**, rather than prescriptive technical controls. However, the shift to a risk-informed approach implies that technical investments must be prioritized based on the measurable risks identified in the new National Risk Register. Policies related to continuity functions (Essential Functions, Recovery Support Functions) will likely translate into technical requirements for redundancy and operational capability.
*Note: Previous policies mentioned (like those referenced in NSM-16/22) often contained technical mandates, but this Executive Order's immediate technical requirement is the establishment of the risk measurement framework (National Risk Register).*
## Penalties & Enforcement
- Fines: The document does not specify direct financial penalties for failure to comply with the timeline set by the Executive Order itself. Enforcement is executive, relying on the authority of the President over federal agencies and the reliance of state/local entities on federal coordination and funding.
- Other Consequences: **Policy disruption** resulting from the review/rescission of prior memoranda (e.g., dismantling of the CSRB and ongoing evolution of CISA leadership signal a period of transition and potential instability in federal oversight). Failure by federal agencies to meet deadlines will result in corrective action directed by the APNSA.
- Enforcement: Primarily through internal federal review cycles, Presidential directives, and coordination through the National Security Council structure.
## Related Standards
- **National Resilience Strategy:** The central unifying document superseding or aligning previous approaches.
- **Prior Directives Under Review:** NSM-16 (Food & Ag Security), NSM-22 (Critical Infrastructure Security), EO 14017 (Supply Chains).
- **Policy Frameworks Mentioned:** Continuity policies regarding Essential Functions, Primary Mission Essential Functions, National Critical Functions, Emergency Support Functions, Recovery Support Functions, and Community Lifelines are subject to realignment.
## Resources
- Official Documentation: Executive Order establishing the National Resilience Strategy (refer to the specific date of the Wednesday Presidential Action in March 2025, as cited).
- Guidance Documents: The forthcoming National Resilience Strategy document, and subsequent recommendations provided by the APNSA regarding infrastructure and continuity policies.
- Tools: The **National Risk Register** will become a key tool for planning and investment justification.
## Practical Recommendations
1. **Monitor 90-Day Strategy Publication:** Prepare internal governance teams to analyze the newly published National Resilience Strategy immediately upon release to align future planning cycles.
2. **Risk Assessment Prioritization:** Begin transitioning documented resilience planning away from broad "all-hazards" checklists toward specific risk-informed metrics aligning with national priorities, anticipating the findings of the National Risk Register.
3. **Review Continuity Documentation:** Identify all continuity and recovery plans based on current ESFs/Recovery Support Functions and earmark procedures that rely on pre-existing frameworks slated for review within 180 days.
4. **Clarify Federal Interactions:** State and local entities should prepare questions regarding federal roles, as DHS is mandated to propose communication improvements within one year.