New DoD Requirements For Defense Contractor Cyber Incident Reporting, Safeguarding Technical Information, And Supply Chain Risk

On November 18, 2013, the Department of Defense (DoD) published two rules that impose new cybersecurity requirements on its contractors and subcontractors and address supply chain risk. Given the dim prospects for enactment of comprehensive cybersecurity legislation in the current political environment on Capitol Hill, these rules are an important part of the Obama Administration's efforts to use the government's procurement power and existing regulatory authorities to increase the cybersecurity of the companies on which the U.S. government relies.