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New Presidential Executive Order on Cybersecurity, Yawn!

Easy to list deliverables, not so easy delivering the goods.

There is a new Presidential Executive Order on Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure

Blah, blah, blah ...

It all sounds great, but do you think an administration that can't coordinate the firing of one individual can coordinate the cybersecurity of the federal government or our nation's critical infrastructures? 

Some of the deadlines, those asking for 60- or 90-day turnaround, reminds me of the quote, "You can have it good, fast or cheap, but you only get to pick two." Sounds like "fast" is one of them, and I don't expect "good" to be included in the mix on the return and feedback they get. 

Then there are the reports themselves. You don't want to say "I'm ready for anything," and on the other hand, you don't want to say, "We are toast and our efforts have proven futile to-date." So something like, "We are doing everything possible with the resources we have now, but more needs to be done" is the likely response, to be given — in a 100-page report from each agency.

The winners in all the above will be civilian contractors who are "on contract" and will be called upon to assemble the reports for review by agency staff.

Eric Holdeman is a contributing writer for Emergency Management magazine and is the former director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.