Bill Also Directs DHS to Lead Efforts to Secure Federal Civilian Information Systems

By: fedweek

The bill, HR-3696, also directs DHS to manage federal efforts to secure federal civilian information systems (excluding national security, DoD, military, and intelligence community systems) and, upon request, to support the efforts of critical infrastructure owners and operators to protect against cyber threats. The bill would require DHS to designate a federal entity to share cyber threat information among federal, state, and local governments, private entities, and critical infrastructure sectors. DHS would be tasked with providing requested assistance for cyber incident response and recovery to federal, state, and local government entities and private entities for cyber incidents affecting critical infrastructure. The bill further establishes the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center as a federal civilian information sharing interface; Requires the DHS to establish Cyber Incident Response Teams to provide technical assistance and recommendations to federal, state, and local government entities, private entities, and critical infrastructure owners and operators; Requires DHS to develop a cybersecurity workforce strategy including a 5-year recruitment plan and 10-year projections of workforce needs; and, Redesignates the National Protection and Programs Directorate as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Directorate.