H.R. 9918
Enhancing K–12 Cybersecurity Act
Sponsor: Doris O. Matsui
1 cosponsor
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act
This bill establishes resources and a program to address cybersecurity of elementary and secondary schools.
First, the bill directs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to establish an information exchange to disseminate information, best practices, training, and resources to improve cybersecurity in elementary and secondary schools.
In addition, CISA must establish a registry to track cyber incidents affecting information technology systems that are owned or managed by schools and educational agencies. Schools and educational agencies may voluntarily submit information to the registry.
Finally, the bill requires CISA to establish a program to address cybersecurity threats to school information systems.
Text of the bill
(a) In general. The Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency shall establish, through partnerships with one or more information sharing and analysis organizations, a voluntary registry of information relating to cyber incidents affecting information technology systems owned or managed by a covered entity, and determine the scope of cyber incidents to be included in the registry and processes by which incidents can be reported for collection in the registry.
(b) Use. Information in the registry established pursuant to subsection (a) may be used to—
(1) improve data collection and coordination activities related to the nationwide monitoring of the incidence and impact of cyber incidents affecting a covered entity;
(2) conduct analyses regarding trends in cyber incidents against such entity;
(3) develop systematic approaches to assist such entity in preventing and responding to cyber incidents;
(4) increase the awareness and preparedness of a covered entity regarding the cybersecurity of such covered entity; and
(5) identify, prevent, or investigate cyber incidents targeting a covered entity.
(c) Information collection. The Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency may collect information relating to cyber incidents to store in the registry established pursuant to subsection (a). Such information may be submitted by a covered entity and may include the following:
(1) The dates of each cyber incident, including the dates on which each such incident was initially detected and the dates on which each such incident was first publicly reported or disclosed to another entity.
(2) A description of each cyber incident, which shall include whether each such incident was as a result of a breach, malware, distributed denial of service attack, or other method designed to cause a vulnerability.
(3) The effects of each cyber incident, including descriptions of the type and size of each such incident.
(4) Other information determined relevant by the Director.
(d) Report. The Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency shall make available on the School Cybersecurity Information Exchange established under section 2 an annual report relating to cyber incidents affecting elementary schools and secondary schools which includes data, and the analysis of such data, in a manner that—
(1) is—
(A) de-identified; and
(B) presented in the aggregate; and
(2) at a minimum, protects personal privacy to the extent required by applicable Federal and State privacy laws.
(e) Covered entity defined. In this section, the term covered entity means the following:
(1) An elementary school.
(2) A secondary school.
(3) A local educational agency.
(4) A State educational agency.
(5) An educational service agency.