US House of Representatives passes two cybersecurity bills

The US House of Representatives has passed two cybersecurity bills last week - the RANSOMWARE Act and the Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Act.

 

RANSOMWARE, an acronym for ‘Reporting Attacks from Nations Selected for Oversight and Monitoring Web Attacks and Ransomware from Enemies, is designed to increase the visibility of foreign ransomware attackers, and according to its author, Republican Florida Representative Gus Bilirakis, it will make it simpler for the US to respond to ransomware attacks from foreign adversaries.

 

The SAFE WEB Act of 2006, which grants the FTC the power to provide evidence to foreign law enforcement agencies to support investigations and enforcement actions, is being amended and updated by this bill. With the amendments, the FTC will be obligated to file reports on international complaints involving ransomware and other cyber threats.

 

The RANSOMWARE Act focuses on Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, specifically identifying these countries when referring to alleged perpetrators of ransomware attacks. It targets individuals, governments, or other organizations in those countries accused of committing ransomware attacks against the US.

 

According to Gus Bilirakis, the RANSOMWARE Act will “strengthen the federal government’s efforts to respond to recent ransomware and other cyber-attacks from foreign adversaries,” he added that in the end, the law benefits American consumers.

 

The Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Act, the second piece of legislation, mandates the creation of an Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Program by the Department of Energy. Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers would receive financial support as part of this program to enroll in classes that combine cybersecurity and disciplines related to energy infrastructure requirements.