Building Cyber Resilience After SolarWinds Act of 2023
Impact
The implementation of HB3166 is expected to lead to a more robust cybersecurity posture for government entities by requiring comprehensive evaluations of vulnerabilities stemming from the SolarWinds incident. This assessment is intended to inform federal agencies and critical infrastructure operators to ensure effective responses and improvements in their incident response strategies. The requirement for a report will facilitate accountability and transparency regarding how the government is addressing its cybersecurity challenges.
Summary
House Bill 3166, known as the Building Cyber Resilience After SolarWinds Act of 2023, aims to enhance the cybersecurity framework of federal information systems. The bill is a direct response to the significant cyber incident involving SolarWinds, where numerous federal departments and other entities were compromised. It mandates the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to investigate the impact of this incident on federal and critical infrastructure information systems, and to report on ongoing security concerns arising from this breach.
Contention
While the bill largely aims to identify and mitigate cybersecurity risks, there may be some contention surrounding the proposed actions and recommendations that arise from the required report. Concerns may center around the adequacy of resources allocated for cybersecurity improvements and the effectiveness of federal oversight mechanisms in preventing future incidents. Additionally, there may be debates regarding the scope of federal versus private ownership responsibilities for critical infrastructure as the government seeks to strengthen its overall cyber resilience.