We have published prior advisories concerning the development by the National Institute of Standards and Technology of a cybersecurity “Framework” intended to be adopted by owners of critical infrastructure to enhance the security of their information systems. A preliminary Framework was published by NIST last week. A formal,45-day comment period on the preliminary Framework was announced in the Federal Register on October 29, 2013.

Written comments concerning the preliminary Framework may be sent to:

Information Technology Laboratory 
ATTN: Adam Sedgewick 
National Institute of Standards and Technology 
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8930 
Gaithersburg, MD 20899–8930

Electronic comments concerning the preliminary Framework can be submitted in Microsoft Word or Excel formats to: csfcomments@nist.gov, with the e-mail subject line: Preliminary Cybersecurity Framework Comments.

All comments will be posted at: http://csrc.nist.gov/cyberframework/preliminary_framework_comments.htmlwithout change or redaction, so commenters should not include information they do not wish to be posted (e.g., personal or business information).

The preliminary Cybersecurity Framework is available electronically on the NIST website at:http://www.nist.gov/itl/upload/preliminary-cybersecurity-framework.pdf.