The House has passed cybersecurity legislation that includes provisions to create a cybersecurity scholarship program at the National Science Foundation that can be repaid with federal service.
Sponsored by Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act would reauthorize cybersecurity fellowship grants and training for graduate students as well.
The bill is based on recommendations from a cybersecurity commission at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. According to a summary of the bill it would:
Require a strategic plan to guide federal cyber-security research and development and reauthorizes cyber-security research and development programs;
Create a task force to coordinate research and development between the public and private sectors;
Authorize the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish standards for federal computer systems and develop automated checklists for agencies to follow; and,
Create an education and awareness program to correct bad habits people have that produce the majority of security vulnerabilities.