1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Securing American Research From Cyber Theft Act”.
Securing American Research From Cyber Theft Act
A BILL
To provide for a pilot project for a nationwide network of secure computing enclaves for federally funded research in universities, and other purposes.
2. Purpose
The purposes of this Act are to help institutions of higher education protect federally funded research from cyber theft and interference by—
directing the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program to provide for support and guidance on improving the security of academic computing and networking systems that process, store, and transmit federally funded research; and
establishing a pilot program to support regional secure computing enclaves for academia to provide researchers with secure data storage and adequately protect Federal Government data.
3. Networking and information technology research and development update
Section 101 of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15 U.S.C. 5511) is amended—
by inserting after subparagraph (I) the following:
“(J) provide for improving the security, reliability, and resiliency of computing and networking systems used by institutions of higher education and other nonprofit research institutions for the processing, storage and transmission of sensitive federally funded research and associated data;”
by redesignating subparagraphs (J) through (O) as subparagraphs (K) through (P), respectively.
4. Computing enclave pilot program
In general— The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and the Secretary of Energy, shall establish a pilot program to ensure the security of federally supported research data and to assist regional institutions of higher education and their researchers in compliance with regulations regarding the safeguarding of sensitive information and other relevant regulations and Federal guidelines.
Structure— In carrying out the pilot program established pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary shall select three institutions of higher education from among institutions classified under the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research Carnegie Classification as a doctorate-granting university with a very high level of research activity, and with a history of working with secure information for the development, installation, maintenance, or sustainment of secure computing enclaves.
Regionalization—
In selecting universities pursuant to subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall give preference to institutions of higher education with the capability of serving other regional universities.
The enclaves should be geographically dispersed to better meet the needs of regional interests.
Program elements— The Department of Defense shall work with Institutions of Higher Education selected pursuant to subsection (b) to—
develop an approved design blueprint for compliance with Federal data protection protocols;
develop a comprehensive and confidential list, or a bill of materials, of each binary component of the software, firmware, or product that is required to deploy additional secure computing enclaves;
develop templates for all policies and procedures required to operate the secure computing enclave in a research setting;
develop a system security plan template; and
develop a process for managing a plan of action and milestones for the secure computing enclave.
Duration— The pilot program established pursuant to subsection (a) shall operate for not less than 3 years.
Report—
In General— The Secretary shall report to the Committee on Armed Services of the House, the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 6 months after the completion of the pilot program under subsection (a).
Contents— The report required under subsection (f)(1) shall include—
an assessment of the pilot program under subsection (a), including an assessment of the security benefits provided by such secure computing enclaves;
recommendations related to the valued of expanding the network of secure computing enclaves; and
recommendations on the efficacy of the use of secure computing enclaves by other Federal agencies in a broader effort to expand security of Federal research.
Authorization of appropriations— There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary, $38,000,000 for fiscal years 2020 through 2022, to carry out the activities outlined in this section.
5. Definitions
In this Act:
Institution of higher education— The term “institution of higher education” has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
Secretary— The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Defense.