Obama pushes for cybersecurity, urges firms to share data

US President Barack Obama signed an executive order Friday urging companies to share cybersecurity threat information among themselves and with the government.

The executive order encourages the creation of Information Sharing and Analysis Organisations (ISAOs), which may be formed as for-profit or non-profit entities, to improve cybersecurity collaboration, according to a Xinhua report.

Such organisations "play an invaluable role in the collective cybersecurity of the United States," Obama said in the order.

He also directed the department of homeland security to fund the creation of a non-profit organisation to develop a common set of voluntary standards for ISAOs.

"Developing this baseline will enable ISAOs to quickly demonstrate their policies and security protocols to potential partners," a White House statement said.

"This will make collaboration safer, faster, and easier, and ensure greater coordination within the private sector to respond to cyber threats," said the statement.

The White House also said that the order complemented the administration's legislative proposal in January that wanted companies to share more information about cyber attacks with the government as well.

The order is part of the Obama administration's efforts to strengthen US cybersecurity defences.

Earlier this week, Lisa Monaco, Obama's homeland security and counter-terrorism adviser, announced the formation of a new agency called Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Centre to coordinate cyber threat assessments among existing units.

Cybersecurity has become a big issue after the hacking attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment last year, purportedly over the controversial film "The Interview" which led to the theft of extensive amounts of Sony employee data.

Following the attack, Sony was forced to cancel the Christmas day release of the film, which allegedly showed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in poor light.

The US blamed North Korea for the attack and decided to impose sanctions on it, with President Obama calling it an act of "cybervandalism".