President Joe Biden on Monday sent a letter to the House of Representatives and the Senate to extend an executive order regarding sanctions issued in response to cyberattacks.
Executive Order 13694, issued in 2015 by president Barack Obama, enables authorities to block the property of entities engaging in “significant malicious cyber-enabled activities.”
Former president Donald Trump, who took office in January 2017, also extended this executive order in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
“Significant malicious cyber-enabled activities originating from, or directed by persons located, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. Therefore, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13694 with respect to significant malicious cyber-enabled activities,” reads President Biden’s letter, which is nearly identical to the letters sent by Trump during his time in office.
The letter clarifies that a national emergency is automatically terminated unless the president extends it within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration.
Considering that this executive order has been extended every year since it was issued by Obama, it will likely need to be extended again next year.
Related: US Gov Executive Order to Mandate Data Breach Disclosure
Related: Trump’s Cybersecurity Executive Order a Positive Step, but Just a Start
Related: Trump Signs Executive Order to Bolster Cybersecurity Workforce
