On Wednesday, the White House announced plans to expand its public-private cybersecurity partnership to include the chemical sector. The Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Cybersecurity Initiative is being expanded to include a fourth sector – the chemical sector.
The announced Chemical Action Plan brings CISA and major U.S. chemical companies together to develop and implement plans for higher cybersecurity standards across the sector, including improving visibility and threat detection for industrial control systems. The plan will focus on “high-risk chemical facilities that present significant chemical release hazards.”
The plan sets a 100-day timeline for chemical sector companies to assess their current cybersecurity practices in accordance with known best practices, following similar initiatives in the electricity, pipeline, water industries.
