Hack Your State Department Act

Hack Your State Department Act

This bill requires the Department of State to design, establish, and make publicly known a Vulnerability Disclosure Process to improve cybersecurity. In establishing the process, the State Department must identify which information technology should be included, determine whether the process should differentiate among and specify the types of security vulnerabilities that may be targeted, and provide a readily available form and means of reporting, among other requirements.

The bill also requires the State Department to establish a bug bounty pilot program, under which an approved individual, organization, or company is temporarily authorized to identify and report vulnerabilities of internet-facing information technology of the State Department in exchange for compensation.

The Hack Your State Department Act, also known as Bill 117 hr 3313, is a piece of legislation currently being considered by the US Congress. The main goal of this bill is to improve the cybersecurity measures within the State Department by allowing ethical hackers to test the department's systems for vulnerabilities.

If passed, the bill would establish a bug bounty program within the State Department, which would incentivize ethical hackers to report any security flaws they find in the department's systems. This program would help the State Department identify and fix potential vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors.

Additionally, the bill would require the State Department to provide training and resources to its employees to help them better understand and address cybersecurity threats. This would help ensure that the department is better equipped to protect sensitive information and prevent cyber attacks. Overall, the Hack Your State Department Act aims to strengthen the cybersecurity defenses of the State Department and improve its ability to protect sensitive information from cyber threats.