NAM Watching New CyberSecurity Bill

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is concerned and closely following the Rockefeller/Snowe Cybersecurity Bill, S.773. Initial concerns include the overbroad definition of “critical infrastructure information systems and networks”, or CI, which includes agriculture right along with banking, defense, energy and such.

Of particular concern is Section 204, which looks to set up government-set cybersecurity best-practices, forces private sector businesses operating CI to perform a Sarbanes-Oxley-type semi-annual audits, and punishes failing companies by publicly publishing their names; and Section 208, which prohibits the U.S. General Services Administration from purchasing products from businesses not in compliance with the cyber-audit standards.

Also included in the bill is the recently named Cybersecurity Czar Howard Schmidt. The President created a Cybersecurity Advisory Panel, with a Chairman, who will oversee the national cybersecurity review. This is not a Senate-confirmed position.

While a limited number of our members are selling to the federal government, it is likely the standards adopted in this legislation will be copied by states and major corporations, as the concern over cybersecurity grows and becomes a top issue of concern.