Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§7432 National cybersecurity challenges

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 100A— - CYBERSECURITY ENHANCEMENT › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - CYBERSECURITY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › § 7432

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Commerce must create national cybersecurity challenges to reach big, measurable improvements by 2028. These challenges focus on: making systems much harder to attack; raising digital safety for people and building a trained cybersecurity workforce; handling risks from new technologies like AI and quantum; keeping online tools easy to use while improving privacy and safety; and cutting risks to Federal networks and improving how agencies respond to cyber incidents. The Secretary must work with the Secretary of Homeland Security on the workforce and Federal network parts. Work on these challenges had to start within 180 days after January 1, 2021, led by the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology. The Commerce Department can run prize competitions (cash or noncash) under section 3719, make other agreements it needs, and accept voluntary funding from federal, state, local, Tribal, or private groups (but no one is forced to give money). The Secretary must also set up an advisory council to recommend the scope and judging metrics for competitions. Council members only get travel pay, no other extra pay.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §7432

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)To achieve high-priority breakthroughs in cybersecurity by 2028, the Secretary of Commerce shall establish the following national cybersecurity challenges:

(A)Building more resilient systems that measurably and exponentially raise adversary costs of carrying out common cyber attacks.

(B)(i)Empowering the people of the United States with an appropriate and measurably sufficient level of digital literacy to make safe and secure decisions online.

(ii)Developing a cybersecurity workforce with measurable skills to protect and maintain information systems.

(C)Advancing cybersecurity efforts in response to emerging technology, such as artificial intelligence, quantum science, next generation communications, autonomy, data science, and computational technologies.

(D)Maintaining a high sense of usability while improving the privacy, security, and safety of online activity of individuals in the United States.

(E)Reducing cybersecurity risks to Federal networks and systems, and improving the response of Federal agencies to cybersecurity incidents on such networks and systems.

(2)In establishing the challenges under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall coordinate with the Secretary of Homeland Security on the challenges under subparagraphs (B) and (E) of such paragraph.

(b)(1)Not later than 180 days after January 1, 2021, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, shall commence efforts to pursue the national cybersecurity challenges established under subsection (a).

(2)The efforts required by paragraph (1) shall include carrying out programs to award prizes, including cash and noncash prizes, competitively pursuant to the authorities and processes established under section 3719 of this title or any other applicable provision of law.

(3)In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary may enter into and perform such other transactions as the Secretary considers necessary and on such terms as the Secretary considers appropriate.

(4)In pursuing national cybersecurity challenges under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall coordinate with the following:

(A)The Director of the National Science Foundation.

(B)The Secretary of Homeland Security.

(C)The Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

(D)The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

(E)The Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

(F)The Administrator of the General Services Administration.

(G)The Federal Trade Commission.

(H)The heads of such other Federal agencies as the Secretary of Commerce considers appropriate for purposes of this section.

(5)(A)Pursuant to section 3719 of this title, the Secretary shall request and accept funds from other Federal agencies, State, United States territory, local, or Tribal government agencies, private sector for-profit entities, and nonprofit entities to support efforts to pursue a national cybersecurity challenge under this section.

(B)Nothing in subparagraph (A) may be construed to require any person or entity to provide funds or otherwise participate in an effort or competition under this section.

(c)(1)In carrying out this section, the Secretary of Commerce shall designate an advisory council to seek recommendations.

(2)The recommendations required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(A)A scope for efforts carried out under subsection (b).

(B)Metrics to assess submissions for prizes under competitions carried out under subsection (b) as the submissions pertain to the national cybersecurity challenges established under subsection (a).

(3)The Secretary may not provide any additional compensation, except for travel expenses, to a member of the advisory council designated under paragraph (1) for participation in the advisory council.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 7432

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73