--- kind: "section" citation: "6 U.S.C. § 1502" title: "6" title_heading: "Domestic Security" number: "1502" heading: "Sharing of information by the Federal Government" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/1502" units: - "Chapter 6 — Cybersecurity" - "Subchapter I — Cybersecurity Information Sharing" --- # §1502. Sharing of information by the Federal Government - (a) **In general—** Consistent with the protection of classified information, intelligence sources and methods, and privacy and civil liberties, the [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) of National Intelligence, the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) of [Homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) Security, the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) of Defense, and the Attorney General, in consultation with the heads of the [appropriate Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=3), shall jointly develop and issue procedures to facilitate and promote— - (1) the timely sharing of classified [cyber threat indicators](/usc/6/1501.md?p=6) and [defensive measures](/usc/6/1501.md?p=7) in the possession of the Federal Government with representatives of relevant [Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=8) and [non-Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=14-A) that have appropriate security clearances; - (2) the timely sharing with relevant [Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=8) and [non-Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=14-A) of [cyber threat indicators](/usc/6/1501.md?p=6), [defensive measures](/usc/6/1501.md?p=7), and information relating to [cybersecurity threats](/usc/6/1501.md?p=5) or authorized uses under this subchapter, in the possession of the Federal Government that may be declassified and shared at an unclassified level; - (3) the timely sharing with relevant [Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=8) and [non-Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=14-A), or the public if appropriate, of unclassified, including controlled unclassified, [cyber threat indicators](/usc/6/1501.md?p=6) and [defensive measures](/usc/6/1501.md?p=7) in the possession of the Federal Government; - (4) the timely sharing with [Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=8) and [non-Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=14-A), if appropriate, of information relating to [cybersecurity threats](/usc/6/1501.md?p=5) or authorized uses under this subchapter, in the possession of the Federal Government about [cybersecurity threats](/usc/6/1501.md?p=5) to such [entities](/usc/6/301c.md?p=2) to prevent or mitigate adverse effects from such [cybersecurity threats](/usc/6/1501.md?p=5); and - (5) the periodic sharing, through publication and targeted outreach, of cybersecurity best practices that are developed based on ongoing analyses of [cyber threat indicators](/usc/6/1501.md?p=6), [defensive measures](/usc/6/1501.md?p=7), and information relating to [cybersecurity threats](/usc/6/1501.md?p=5) or authorized uses under this subchapter, in the possession of the Federal Government, with attention to accessibility and implementation challenges faced by small business concerns (as defined in [section 632 of title 15](/usc/15/632.md)). - (b) **Development of procedures—** - (1) **In general—** The procedures developed under [subsection (a)](#a) shall— - (A) ensure the Federal Government has and maintains the capability to share [cyber threat indicators](/usc/6/1501.md?p=6) and [defensive measures](/usc/6/1501.md?p=7) in real time consistent with the protection of classified information; - (B) incorporate, to the greatest extent practicable, existing processes and existing roles and responsibilities of [Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=8) and [non-Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=14-A) for information sharing by the Federal Government, including sector specific information sharing and analysis [centers](/usc/6/681.md?p=1); - (C) include procedures for notifying, in a timely manner, [Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=8) and [non-Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=14-A) that have received a [cyber threat indicator](/usc/6/1501.md?p=6) or [defensive measure](/usc/6/1501.md?p=7) from a [Federal entity](/usc/6/1501.md?p=8) under this subchapter that is known or determined to be in error or in contravention of the requirements of this subchapter or another provision of Federal law or policy of such error or contravention; - (D) include requirements for [Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=8) sharing [cyber threat indicators](/usc/6/1501.md?p=6) or [defensive measures](/usc/6/1501.md?p=7) to implement and utilize [security controls](/usc/6/1501.md?p=16) to protect against unauthorized access to or acquisition of such [cyber threat indicators](/usc/6/1501.md?p=6) or [defensive measures](/usc/6/1501.md?p=7); - (E) include procedures that require a [Federal entity](/usc/6/1501.md?p=8), prior to the sharing of a [cyber threat indicator](/usc/6/1501.md?p=6)— - (i) to review such [cyber threat indicator](/usc/6/1501.md?p=6) to assess whether such [cyber threat indicator](/usc/6/1501.md?p=6) contains any information not directly related to a [cybersecurity threat](/usc/6/1501.md?p=5) that such [Federal entity](/usc/6/1501.md?p=8) knows at the time of sharing to be personal information of a specific individual or information that identifies a specific individual and remove such information; or - (ii) to implement and utilize a technical capability configured to remove any information not directly related to a [cybersecurity threat](/usc/6/1501.md?p=5) that the [Federal entity](/usc/6/1501.md?p=8) knows at the time of sharing to be personal information of a specific individual or information that identifies a specific individual; and - (F) include procedures for notifying, in a timely manner, any [United States](/usc/6/101.md?p=19-A) person whose personal information is known or determined to have been shared by a [Federal entity](/usc/6/1501.md?p=8) in violation of this subchapter. - (2) **Consultation—** In developing the procedures required under this section, the [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) of National Intelligence, the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) of [Homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) Security, the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) of Defense, and the Attorney General shall consult with [appropriate Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=3), including the Small Business Administration and the National Laboratories (as defined in [section 15801 of title 42](/usc/42/15801.md)), to ensure that effective protocols are implemented that will facilitate and promote the sharing of [cyber threat indicators](/usc/6/1501.md?p=6) by the Federal Government in a timely manner. - (c) **Submittal to Congress—** Not later than 60 days after December 18, 2015, the [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) of National Intelligence, in consultation with the heads of the [appropriate Federal entities](/usc/6/1501.md?p=3), shall submit to Congress the procedures required by [subsection (a)](#a). ## Source credit (Pub. L. 114–113, div. N, title I, § 103, Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 2939.)