Rockefeller, une Circulate Cybersecurity Draft

Senate Commerce Committee leaders have circulated a cybersecurity bill draft that directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop voluntary standards for cybersecurity best practices, as well as boosting cybersecurity research and training and cyberthreat education.

The bill is a coproduction of Committee chairman Jay Rockefeller (D- W. Va.) and ranking member John Thune (R-S.D.) as they attempt to find common ground and pass legislation to address what both Republicans and Democrats agree is a real and growing threat of cyberattacks from hackers, nation states and organized (and unorganized) crime.

The bill does not deal with the issue of industry sharing of cybersecurity information with government, though Rockefeller supports efforts at info sharing bills. He was cosponsor of cybersecurity legislation that failed to pass in the last Congress.

President Obama mandated the creation of those voluntary standards in an executive order earlier this year, but Rockefeller is said to believe legislation is needed to back up that order, which the president also suggested would be a needed backstop (given that the order has an expiration date).

According to copy of the draft obtained by B&C, it would require that the standards:

Must be voluntary;

Must be developed in close and continuous coordination with industry;

Must not conflict with or duplicate existing regulatory requirements;

Must incorporate voluntary consensus standards and industry best practices and align with voluntary international standards; and

Must be technology neutral.

According to a committee source, the bill stems from a directive from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to committee chairs with jurisdiction over the issue to draft bills to strengthen threat protections.

Rockefeller is said to believe that the provisions in this bill are key to forming a combined public-private front to repel threats into the future. In addition to the best practices, that includes the federal government supporting cutting edge research, increas[ing] public awareness, and improv[ing] our workforce to better address cyber threats.

LINK:	http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/494447-Rockefeller_Thune_Circ...
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