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Biden to Order Tougher Cybersecurity Standards Amid Growing China Hacking Threat

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President Joe Biden is preparing to issue an executive order aimed at enhancing cybersecurity standards for federal agencies and contractors, as part of efforts to combat the escalating threat of cyberattacks linked to China and cybercriminal organizations. The new executive order, expected to be published in the coming days, seeks to address several high-profile cyberattacks attributed to China, targeting critical infrastructure, government agencies, major telecom firms, and most recently, the U.S. Treasury Department. While the U.S. government has attributed these hacks to China, Beijing has consistently denied involvement.

The proposed order emphasizes stricter standards for secure software development, including the need for vendors to provide detailed documentation that verifies adherence to these standards. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) will be tasked with evaluating and validating this documentation through its software attestation program. Vendors whose software fails validation may face further legal action, as per the draft.

Tom Kellermann, Senior Vice President of Cyber Strategy at Contrast Security, expressed support for the effort to push for more secure software development but warned that the proposed attestation process might not go far enough. Kellermann pointed out that the timeline outlined in the order appears arbitrary given the urgency of the threat posed by China, Russia, and cybercriminal syndicates. “They’re already here,” Kellermann said, stressing the ongoing cyberattacks against U.S. critical infrastructure and government agencies, which have been fueled by foreign state actors.

The executive order also includes guidelines for the secure management of access tokens and cryptographic keys used by cloud providers. In 2023, Chinese-linked hackers exploited vulnerabilities in this area to access email accounts belonging to senior U.S. government officials, an issue that was highlighted by Microsoft.

Brandon Wales, Vice President of Cybersecurity Strategy at SentinelOne, acknowledged that the order builds on efforts from the past five years to strengthen cybersecurity capabilities, and emphasized that the Chinese threat is a major focus. However, he also noted that the U.S. faces a broad range of cybersecurity challenges that require ongoing attention.

The White House has declined to comment on the forthcoming order, and CISA did not respond to requests for comment.

 

Biden Signs Executive Order to Support AI Data Centers with Federal Power and Land

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On Tuesday, President Joe Biden signed an executive order designed to bolster the infrastructure needed for advanced artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. The order, according to the White House, aims to address the growing energy demands of AI by leveraging federal land, particularly from the Departments of Defense and Energy, to host gigawatt-scale AI data centers and new clean power facilities.

Biden emphasized that the initiative would accelerate the development of AI infrastructure in the U.S., promoting economic competitiveness, national security, AI safety, and clean energy. “The next generation of AI infrastructure will be built here in America,” Biden stated, underscoring the importance of aligning the country’s energy and technological sectors.

A key provision of the order mandates that companies using federal land for AI data centers must purchase a portion of American-made semiconductors. The exact number of chips required will be determined on a case-by-case basis for each project. This comes as part of the Biden administration’s broader push to invest over $30 billion in subsidizing U.S. chip production.

Tarun Chhabra, White House technology adviser, pointed out that the increasing demand for computational power to train and operate advanced AI models necessitates the creation of robust infrastructure. By 2028, leading AI developers will require data centers with up to five gigawatts of capacity to support the most sophisticated models.

The executive order also addresses national security concerns by ensuring AI technology remains within the U.S. and allied nations, as the Commerce Department moves forward with additional restrictions on AI chip and technology exports. Chhabra noted that AI systems already present substantial risks, including potential military applications and threats related to biological, chemical, radiological, or nuclear weapons.

The order also instructs agencies to expedite electric grid interconnection, permitting processes, and transmission development surrounding the newly designated federal sites.

Trump Mulls Executive Order to Suspend TikTok Ban Enforcement

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U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering issuing an executive order that would suspend the enforcement of the law requiring the sale or ban of TikTok for a period of 60 to 90 days. The Washington Post, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that Trump’s administration is contemplating this move as a way to delay the mandatory sale or ban set by a previous law, which is currently poised to take effect. This potential suspension would give Trump time to explore a political resolution to the ongoing concerns about TikTok’s operations in the United States.