§7408 National Academy of Sciences study on computer and network security in critical infrastructures

Summary

Within 3 months after November 27, 2002, the NIST Director must hire the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to study weaknesses in the Nation’s network infrastructure and recommend fixes. The Council must look over past studies and data about design, hardware, and software problems and how networks depend on each other; point out gaps in technical ability and suggest research priorities and needed resources; and review other key parts of computer and network security, including industrial control systems. NIST must send a report with the study results and recommendations to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Science no later than 21 months after November 27, 2002. The public version of the report must not include any classified information. Congress may provide $700,000 to NIST, through the Secretary of Commerce, to pay for this work.