This bill, known as both the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2023 and the Cybersecurity Act of 2023, overhauls how federal agencies manage and report on cybersecurity risks. It updates decades-old rules by requiring agencies to continuously assess cyber risks rather than relying on periodic checklists, mandates faster and more detailed reporting to Congress and oversight bodies when major security incidents or data breaches occur, and requires agencies to notify affected individuals and outside organizations when their information is compromised. The bill also formalizes practices like penetration testing, vulnerability disclosure programs, zero trust security architecture, and the use of automation and artificial intelligence to detect and respond to threats, while creating new leadership roles such as a Federal Chief Information Security Officer and renaming the federal CIO office. It primarily affects federal agencies, their contractors and grant recipients, and includes special provisions for national security systems and the Department of Defense. A second part of the bill, the Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, directs the Department of Homeland Security to develop a workforce strategy and training materials to help rural hospitals build cybersecurity capacity, though it authorizes no new funding for that effort. Most provisions require agencies to issue guidance, reports, or briefings within one to two years of enactment, with some ongoing requirements like biennial risk reports and annual incident summaries continuing for years afterward.
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