White House: Executive order is 'not magical,' cyber bill still needed

Andy Ozment, a senior director for cybersecurity at the White House, said that an executive order aimed at securing critical infrastructure from cyberattacks won't replace the need for comprehensive legislation.

"I think it's worth highlighting that an executive order is not magical. It doesn't create new power or authorities for any government agency," Ozment said during a keynote at the winter meeting of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. "Instead, it's an expression of the president's strategic intent." "It's, again, critical to highlight that this is not a substitute for legislation. We need comprehensive cybersecurity legislation," he added. "We cannot do everything under our existing authorities."