Maintaining a secure energy grid is a nation-wide effort but in the event of an emergency it’s important that the different roles each federal office plays can be easily understood. The Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) plays a critical role in maintaining situational awareness, discovering and mitigating of cyber threats, and orchestrating response and recovery operations. CESER’s responsibilities are established through various authority statements passed down by both the executive branch and the DOE. Explore the authorities granted to CESER and how these authorities drive CESER’s various activities.
Presidential Policy Directives
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National Preparedness, strengthens the security and resilience of the U.S. through systematic preparation for high-risk threats.
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PPD 21 unifies the national effort to strengthen and maintain critical infrastructure and grants CESER their authority in these objectives.
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Presidential Policy Directive 41 outlines the DOE as the Sector-Specific Agency responsible for securing critical energy infrastructure.
Executive Orders
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Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, directs the NIST to develop a framework to reduce cyber risks to critical infrastructure.
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This EO directs examination into how federal authorities and capabilities can be better used to support the cybersecurity risk management efforts.
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The Cybersecurity Workforce EO asserts the importance of cultivating a strong and diverse cyber workforce.
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The U.S. Department of Energy works to ensure that the acquisition of Energy Sector infrastructure assets is done safely and securely.
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This Executive Order reinforces DOE’s roles in leading grid-specific efforts and collaborating with its partners to improve overall EMP resilience.
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The U.S. Department of Energy works to ensure that the acquisition of bulk-power assets is done safely and securely.
Agency Rules, Frameworks, and Strategies
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The National Response Framework outlines the delivery of energy (power and fuel) as an essential community lifeline for which U.S. DOE is responsible.
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Emergency Support Function #12 grants CESER the authority to coordinate and respond in emergency situations.
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The National Cybersecurity Strategy outlines the U.S. Department of Energy’s role in defending the national energy infrastructure.
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This plan provides a risk management framework for collaboration when protecting critical infrastructure and resources.
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This rule helps establish the departmental reactions to a grid security emergency.