The Senate Intelligence Committee passed in July a draft bill that would prohibit the creation of a cybersecurity working group between the U.S. and Russia, Nextgov reported Friday.The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 would require the Department of Homeland Security and intelligence agencies to develop within 90 days a plan to safeguard the country’s election systems from Russia’s future cyber interference.
A separate report on election hacking efforts by Russia and other foreign governments should also be submitted within two months, according to the proposed legislation.
The proposed bill would direct the Director of National Intelligence to facilitate sharing of classified cyber threat data with each state’s two election officers with security clearances at the top-secret level and submit an annual report on the federal government’s process used to determine whether to disclose software vulnerabilities.
The measure also calls for DHS to develop a strategic plan within six months for the implementation of bug bounties at federal agencies.
The House passed its version of the bill in July weeks after the House Intelligence Committee cleared the measure.
