Chris DeRusha said protecting critical infrastructure is a top priority as the Biden administration updates plans for achieving its cybersecurity objectives.

The announcement is a major blow to the Biden administration's efforts to improve the cybersecurity of U.S. critical infrastructure.

The regulatory road to harmonizing regulations for 16 critical infrastructure sectors is long and treacherous one.

The plan outlines major goals and nine objectives the agency has for the next three years to make improvements to U.S. digital defenses.

The Biden administration noted that department and agencies are expected to follow the recently released National Cybersecurity Strategy.

The strategy roll out will focus on educating Americans on digital risks and expanding the cyber workforce.

The strategy represents a shift in how Washington approaches cybersecurity, veering toward a more strictly regulated approach.

The national cyber director's office is leading the drafting of the document.

Broadly, the administration is also formulating a national cybersecurity strategy and looking at more regulations.

In the face of persistent cyberthreats, the White House effort to fix important U.S. security weaknesses risks coming up short, GAO says.