Offensive Security Hails Passage of Several Cybersecurity Bills in Congress

The battlefields of the 21st century have shifted to the cyberspace domain where malicious cyber attacks pose a national threat to the critical infrastructure of America and the safety of its citizens.

Over the last few months, the U.S. Congress has adopted several vital pieces of cybersecurity legislation, some of which were recently signed into law by President Biden. Given past high-profile cybersecurity breaches at Colonial Pipeline, SolarWinds, and even our federal government agencies, Americans are paying more attention to cybersecurity and recognizing the need to improve standards across industry and government.

Most recently in May of 2022, the President signed into law two cybersecurity bills recently adopted by Congress, the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium Act of 2021 (S.658), and the Better Cybercrime Metrics Act (S.2629).

In addition, Congress has passed several bills over the last two weeks, namely the Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce Program Act of 2021 (S.1097), the State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act of 2021 (S. 2520), the President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition Act (H.R. 6824 – pending in Senate), the Cybersecurity Grants for Schools Act of 2022 (H.R. 6868 – pending in Senate), and the DHS Roles and Responsibilities in Cyber Space Act (H.R. 5658 – pending in Senate). Some of these bills are currently pending the president’s signature, while others await further Congressional action.

“Offensive Security welcomes passage of these critical cybersecurity bills in Congress that will enhance America’s cybersecurity posture, from our citizens to our corporations, and from academia to government,” stated Offensive Security’s Head of Federal, Keith Peer.

While cyber criminal activity is on the rise, more money is being spent on its prevention as well as dealing with the effects of its aftermath. Protecting the nation from the growing number of cyber threats has been placed at the forefront by both the industry and the government.

“As a partner of the U.S. government, we are pleased to see Congress working in a bipartisan fashion and genuine partnership with the private sector. This effort has naturally led to the advancement of major pieces of cybersecurity legislation that are critical to ensuring America’s national security. Offensive Security looks forward to continuing our work across the Department of Defense and federal civilian agencies,”concluded Peer.

Dr. Heather Monthie, Offensive Security’s Head of Cybersecurity Training, Education, and Innovation stated, “An investment in cybersecurity education and training for our nation’s youth is an investment in America’s future. As technology continues to be an essential part of our daily lives, we must have a labor force that is trained and equipped to meet the cybersecurity challenges of an increasingly connected world. To build a strong cybersecurity workforce, we must all work together to increase awareness of cybersecurity careers among youth from all backgrounds.“ To help educators, Monthie has published, The Beginner’s Guide to Developing a High School Cybersecurity Program.

Dr. Monthie added, “The Cybersecurity Grants for Schools Act of 2022 will provide much-needed financial assistance to fund cybersecurity education programs to help increase awareness of careers in cybersecurity. The underlying goal is to build a future talent pipeline of highly-skilled cybersecurity professionals to help secure our nation’s critical infrastructure. The Cybersecurity Grants for Schools Act of 2022 is a powerful step toward preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow and ultimately help keep our country safe.“

Learn more at OffSec Federal

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About the Author

Taniel Koushakjian is the Director of Government Affairs for Offensive Security. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University and an M.A. in Political Management from The George Washington University. He was recently recognized as one of Washington, DC’s “Top 21 of 2021” lobbyists by the Advocacy Association.