Title: Hack Your State Department Act
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Hack Your State Department Act
This bill requires the Department of State to design, establish, and make publicly known a Vulnerability Disclosure Program to improve cybersecurity. The program requirements include: (1) identifying which information technology should be included, (2) providing a readily available means of reporting discovered security vulnerabilities, and (3) identifying the offices and position that will be responsible for addressing security vulnerability disclosures.
The bill requires the State Department to establish a bug bounty pilot program to provide compensation for reports of previously unidentified security vulnerabilities of its internet-facing information technology.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5433 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5433

      To require the Secretary of State to design and establish a 
 Vulnerability Disclosure Program (VDP) to improve Department of State 
     cybersecurity and a bug bounty program to identify and report 
   vulnerabilities of internet-facing information technology of the 
              Department of State, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 5, 2018

 Mr. Ted Lieu of California (for himself and Mr. Yoho) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To require the Secretary of State to design and establish a 
 Vulnerability Disclosure Program (VDP) to improve Department of State 
     cybersecurity and a bug bounty program to identify and report 
   vulnerabilities of internet-facing information technology of the 
              Department of State, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Hack Your State Department Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of State.
            (2) Information technology.--The term ``information 
        technology'' has the meaning given such term in section 11101 
        of title 40, United States Code.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of State.

SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF STATE VULNERABILITY DISCLOSURE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall design, establish, and make 
publicly known a Vulnerability Disclosure Program (VDP) to improve 
Department cybersecurity by--
            (1) providing security researchers with clear guidelines 
        for--
                    (A) conducting vulnerability discovery activities 
                directed at Department information technology; and
                    (B) submitting discovered security vulnerabilities 
                to the Department; and
            (2) creating Department procedures and infrastructure to 
        receive and fix discovered vulnerabilities.
    (b) Requirements.--In establishing the VDP pursuant to paragraph 
(1), the Secretary shall--
            (1) identify which Department information technology should 
        be included in the program;
            (2) determine whether the program should differentiate 
        among and specify the types of security vulnerabilities that 
        may be targeted;
            (3) provide a readily available means of reporting 
        discovered security vulnerabilities and the form in which such 
        vulnerabilities should be reported;
            (4) identify which Department offices and positions will be 
        responsible for receiving, prioritizing, and addressing 
        security vulnerability disclosure reports;
            (5) consult with the Attorney General regarding how to 
        ensure that approved individuals, organizations, and companies 
        that comply with the requirements of the program are protected 
        from prosecution under section 1030 of title 18, United States 
        Code, and similar provisions of law for specific activities 
        authorized under the program;
            (6) consult with the relevant offices at the Department of 
        Defense that were responsible for launching the 2016 
        Vulnerability Disclosure Program, ``Hack the Pentagon'', and 
        subsequent Department of Defense bug bounty programs;
            (7) engage qualified interested persons, including 
        nongovernmental sector representatives, about the structure of 
        the program as constructive and to the extent practicable; and
            (8) award a contract to an entity, as necessary, to manage 
        the program and implement the remediation of discovered 
        security vulnerabilities.
    (c) Annual Reports.--Not later than 180 days after the 
establishment of the VDP under subsection (a) and annually thereafter 
for the next six years, the Secretary of State shall submit to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on the following 
with respect to the VDP:
            (1) The number and severity, in accordance with the 
        National Vulnerabilities Database of the National Institute of 
        Standards and Technology, of security vulnerabilities reported.
            (2) The number of previously unidentified security 
        vulnerabilities remediated as a result.
            (3) The current number of outstanding previously 
        unidentified security vulnerabilities and Department of State 
        remediation plans.
            (4) The average length of time between the reporting of 
        security vulnerabilities and remediation of such 
        vulnerabilities.
            (5) An estimate of the total cost savings of discovering 
        and addressing security vulnerabilities submitted through the 
        VDP.
            (6) The resources, surge staffing, roles, and 
        responsibilities within the Department used to implement the 
        VDP and complete security vulnerability remediation.
            (7) Any other information the Secretary determines 
        relevant.

SEC. 4. DEPARTMENT OF STATE BUG BOUNTY PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment of Pilot Program.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a bug 
        bounty pilot program to minimize security vulnerabilities of 
        internet-facing information technology of the Department.
            (2) Requirements.--In establishing the pilot program 
        described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
                    (A) provide compensation for reports of previously 
                unidentified security vulnerabilities within the 
                websites, applications, and other internet-facing 
                information technology of the Department that are 
                accessible to the public;
                    (B) award a contract to an entity, as necessary, to 
                manage such pilot program and for executing the 
                remediation of security vulnerabilities identified 
                pursuant to subparagraph (A);
                    (C) identify which Department information 
                technology should be included in such pilot program;
                    (D) consult with the Attorney General on how to 
                ensure that approved individuals, organizations, or 
                companies that comply with the requirements of such 
                pilot program are protected from prosecution under 
                section 1030 of title 18, United States Code, and 
                similar provisions of law for specific activities 
                authorized under such pilot program;
                    (E) consult with the relevant offices at the 
                Department of Defense that were responsible for 
                launching the 2016 ``Hack the Pentagon'' pilot program 
                and subsequent Department of Defense bug bounty 
                programs;
                    (F) develop a process by which an approved 
                individual, organization, or company can register with 
                the entity referred to in subparagraph (B), submit to a 
                background check as determined by the Department, and 
                receive a determination as to eligibility for 
                participation in such pilot program; and
                    (G) engage qualified interested persons, including 
                nongovernmental sector representatives, about the 
                structure of such pilot program as constructive and to 
                the extent practicable.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which the bug 
bounty pilot program under subsection (a) is completed, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a 
report on such pilot program, including information relating to--
            (1) the number of approved individuals, organizations, or 
        companies involved in such pilot program, broken down by the 
        number of approved individuals, organizations, or companies 
        that--
                    (A) registered;
                    (B) were approved;
                    (C) submitted security vulnerabilities; and
                    (D) received compensation;
            (2) the number and severity, in accordance with the 
        National Vulnerabilities Database of the National Institute of 
        Standards and Technology, of security vulnerabilities reported 
        as part of such pilot program;
            (3) the number of previously unidentified security 
        vulnerabilities remediated as a result of such pilot program;
            (4) the current number of outstanding previously 
        unidentified security vulnerabilities and Department 
        remediation plans;
            (5) the average length of time between the reporting of 
        security vulnerabilities and remediation of such 
        vulnerabilities;
            (6) the types of compensation provided under such pilot 
        program; and
            (7) the lessons learned from such pilot program.
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