U.S. Fed’s voluntary standards for cyber attacks

Administration officials developed standards to protect the computer systems that run critical sectors of the economy like transportation, financial, health care and energy. They also are launching a voluntary program to encourage businesses to put the standards into use.

The standards come on the one-year anniversary of President Barack Obama’s signing of an executive order calling for their creation. Obama said in a statement Wednesday that “cyberthreats pose one the gravest national security dangers that the United States faces.”

Obama wants Congress to pass legislation that would give the government more power to secure networks and deter attacks. But private sector companies oppose increased government regulation, and lawmakers have not acted amid disagreement over legislation.