S. 21: Cyber Security and American Cyber Competitiveness Act of 2011

Introduced on January 25, 2011 by Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), S. 21 is a “sense of Congress” bill which outlines Senate leadership’s objectives for cybersecurity legislation. The eventual introduction of cybersecurity legislation in the Senate likely will focus on these ten objectives while incorporating key points from the Lieberman/Collins/Carper approach, and probably a few other sources. As defined in S. 21, Reid’s priorities include:

1. Enhancing the security of federal government IT networks against cyber attack;

2. Creating incentives for the private sector to assess and mitigate cyber risks;

3. Promoting investments in the IT sector that create jobs and enhance US competitiveness;

4. Enhancing the federal government’s ability to prevent and respond to cyber attacks against the military;

5. Enhancing the government and private sector’s ability to prevent and respond to attacks against critical infrastructure;

6. Preventing identity theft and breaches of personally identifiable information;

7. Battling global cyber crime and promoting international freedom of access through enhanced diplomacy;

8. Protecting US critical infrastructures and assets, including the electric grid, military assets, the financial sector and telecommunications networks against cyber attack and vulnerabilities;

9. Respecting privacy and civil liberties in the investigation and prosecution of cyber crimes; and

10. Protecting the privacy of US citizens’ online activities and communications.