American Cybersecurity Literacy Act

Bill: 117-hr-4055
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16]
Introduced: 2021-06-22
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Computer security and identity theft

Computers and information technology

Government information and archives

Internet and video services

Internet, web applications, social media
Latest action: action_date: 2021-12-02
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-06-22
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>American Cybersecurity Literacy Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to develop and conduct a cybersecurity literacy campaign to increase knowledge and awareness of best practices to reduce cybersecurity risks.</p>

action_date: 2021-10-26
action_desc: Reported to House
text: <p><b>American Cybersecurity Literacy Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to develop and conduct a cybersecurity literacy campaign to increase knowledge and awareness of best practices to reduce cybersecurity risks.</p>

action_date: 2021-12-01
action_desc: Passed House
text: <p><b>American Cybersecurity Literacy Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to develop and conduct a cybersecurity literacy campaign to increase knowledge and awareness of best practices to reduce cybersecurity risks.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4055 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 22, 2021 Mr. Kinzinger (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis , Ms. Eshoo , Mr. Veasey , and Ms. Houlahan ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To establish a cybersecurity literacy campaign, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Cybersecurity Literacy Act . 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of the Congress that the United States has a national security and economic interest in promoting cybersecurity literacy amongst the general public. 3. Establishment of cybersecurity literacy campaign (a) In general The Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information shall develop and conduct a cybersecurity literacy campaign to increase the knowledge and awareness of the American people of best practices to reduce cybersecurity risks. (b) Campaign To reduce cybersecurity risks, the Assistant Secretary shall— (1) identify the critical areas of an IT system that present cybersecurity risks and educate American people on how to prevent and mitigate such attacks by— (A) instructing American people on how to identify— (i) phishing emails; and (ii) secure websites; (B) instructing American people on the need to change default passwords on hardware and software technology; (C) encouraging the use of cybersecurity tools, including— (i) multi-factor authentication; (ii) complex passwords; (iii) firewalls; and (iv) anti-virus software; (D) identifying the devices that could pose possible cybersecurity risks, including— (i) personal computers; (ii) smartphones; (iii) tablets; (iv) Wi-Fi routers; and (v) smart home appliances; (E) encouraging Americans to— (i) regularly review mobile application permissions; (ii) decline privilege requests from mobile applications that are unnecessary; (iii) download applications only from trusted vendors or sources; and (iv) connect internet of things or devices to a separate and dedicated network; and (F) identifying the potential cybersecurity risks of using publicly available Wi-Fi networks and the methods a user may utilize to limit such risks; and (2) direct American people and businesses to Federal resources to help mitigate the cybersecurity risks identified in this subsection.

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 113 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4055 [Report No. 117–155] IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 22, 2021 Mr. Kinzinger (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis , Ms. Eshoo , Mr. Veasey , and Ms. Houlahan ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce October 26, 2021 Additional sponsors: Mr. Butterfield , Mr. McNerney , Mr. Wittman , Mr. Moore of Utah , Ms. Spanberger , Mr. Rice of South Carolina , and Mr. Delgado October 26, 2021 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 22, 2021 A BILL To establish a cybersecurity literacy campaign, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Cybersecurity Literacy Act . 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of the Congress that the United States has a national security and economic interest in promoting cybersecurity literacy amongst the general public. 3. Establishment of cybersecurity literacy campaign (a) In general The Assistant Secretary shall develop and conduct a cybersecurity literacy campaign (which shall be available in multiple languages and formats, if practicable) to increase the knowledge and awareness of the American people of best practices to reduce cybersecurity risks. (b) Campaign To reduce cybersecurity risks, the Assistant Secretary shall— (1) educate the American people on how to prevent and mitigate cyberattacks and cybersecurity risks, including by— (A) instructing the American people on how to identify— (i) phishing emails and messages; and (ii) secure websites; (B) instructing the American people about the benefits of changing default passwords on hardware and software technology; (C) encouraging the use of cybersecurity tools, including— (i) multi-factor authentication; (ii) complex passwords; (iii) anti-virus software; (iv) patching and updating software and applications; and (v) virtual private networks; (D) identifying the devices that could pose possible cybersecurity risks, including— (i) personal computers; (ii) smartphones; (iii) tablets; (iv) Wi-Fi routers; (v) smart home appliances; (vi) webcams; (vii) internet-connected monitors; and (viii) any other device that can be connected to the internet, including mobile devices other than smartphones and tablets; (E) encouraging Americans to— (i) regularly review mobile application permissions; (ii) decline privilege requests from mobile applications that are unnecessary; (iii) download applications only from trusted vendors or sources; and (iv) consider a product’s life cycle and the developer or manufacturer’s commitment to providing security updates during a connected device’s expected period of use; and (F) identifying the potential cybersecurity risks of using publicly available Wi-Fi networks and the methods a user may utilize to limit such risks; and (2) encourage the American people to use resources to help mitigate the cybersecurity risks identified in this subsection. (c) Assistant Secretary defined In this section, the term Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.

October 26, 2021 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

tv_txt: IB 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4055 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To establish a cybersecurity literacy campaign, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Cybersecurity Literacy Act . 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of the Congress that the United States has a national security and economic interest in promoting cybersecurity literacy amongst the general public. 3. Establishment of cybersecurity literacy campaign (a) In general The Assistant Secretary shall develop and conduct a cybersecurity literacy campaign (which shall be available in multiple languages and formats, if practicable) to increase the knowledge and awareness of the American people of best practices to reduce cybersecurity risks. (b) Campaign To reduce cybersecurity risks, the Assistant Secretary shall— (1) educate the American people on how to prevent and mitigate cyberattacks and cybersecurity risks, including by— (A) instructing the American people on how to identify— (i) phishing emails and messages; and (ii) secure websites; (B) instructing the American people about the benefits of changing default passwords on hardware and software technology; (C) encouraging the use of cybersecurity tools, including— (i) multi-factor authentication; (ii) complex passwords; (iii) anti-virus software; (iv) patching and updating software and applications; and (v) virtual private networks; (D) identifying the devices that could pose possible cybersecurity risks, including— (i) personal computers; (ii) smartphones; (iii) tablets; (iv) Wi-Fi routers; (v) smart home appliances; (vi) webcams; (vii) internet-connected monitors; and (viii) any other device that can be connected to the internet, including mobile devices other than smartphones and tablets; (E) encouraging Americans to— (i) regularly review mobile application permissions; (ii) decline privilege requests from mobile applications that are unnecessary; (iii) download applications only from trusted vendors or sources; and (iv) consider a product’s life cycle and the developer or manufacturer’s commitment to providing security updates during a connected device’s expected period of use; and (F) identifying the potential cybersecurity risks of using publicly available Wi-Fi networks and the methods a user may utilize to limit such risks; and (2) encourage the American people to use resources to help mitigate the cybersecurity risks identified in this subsection. (c) Assistant Secretary defined In this section, the term Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.

Passed the House of Representatives December 1, 2021. Cheryl L. Johnson, Clerk.

tv_txt: IIB 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4055 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 2, 2021 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation AN ACT To establish a cybersecurity literacy campaign, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Cybersecurity Literacy Act . 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of the Congress that the United States has a national security and economic interest in promoting cybersecurity literacy amongst the general public. 3. Establishment of cybersecurity literacy campaign (a) In general The Assistant Secretary shall develop and conduct a cybersecurity literacy campaign (which shall be available in multiple languages and formats, if practicable) to increase the knowledge and awareness of the American people of best practices to reduce cybersecurity risks. (b) Campaign To reduce cybersecurity risks, the Assistant Secretary shall— (1) educate the American people on how to prevent and mitigate cyberattacks and cybersecurity risks, including by— (A) instructing the American people on how to identify— (i) phishing emails and messages; and (ii) secure websites; (B) instructing the American people about the benefits of changing default passwords on hardware and software technology; (C) encouraging the use of cybersecurity tools, including— (i) multi-factor authentication; (ii) complex passwords; (iii) anti-virus software; (iv) patching and updating software and applications; and (v) virtual private networks; (D) identifying the devices that could pose possible cybersecurity risks, including— (i) personal computers; (ii) smartphones; (iii) tablets; (iv) Wi-Fi routers; (v) smart home appliances; (vi) webcams; (vii) internet-connected monitors; and (viii) any other device that can be connected to the internet, including mobile devices other than smartphones and tablets; (E) encouraging Americans to— (i) regularly review mobile application permissions; (ii) decline privilege requests from mobile applications that are unnecessary; (iii) download applications only from trusted vendors or sources; and (iv) consider a product’s life cycle and the developer or manufacturer’s commitment to providing security updates during a connected device’s expected period of use; and (F) identifying the potential cybersecurity risks of using publicly available Wi-Fi networks and the methods a user may utilize to limit such risks; and (2) encourage the American people to use resources to help mitigate the cybersecurity risks identified in this subsection. (c) Assistant Secretary defined In this section, the term Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.

Passed the House of Representatives December 1, 2021. Cheryl L. Johnson, Clerk.