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Title 15, Commerce and TradeRelease 119-110

§7408 National Academy of Sciences Study on Computer and Network Security in Critical Infrastructures

Title 15 › CHAPTER 100 — CYBER SECURITY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › § 7408

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Within 3 months after November 27, 2002, the Director of NIST must hire the National Research Council to study the nation’s network infrastructure, find weak spots, and recommend fixes. The Council must review existing studies and data about design, hardware, and software flaws and how systems depend on each other; identify gaps in technical ability and suggest research priorities and needed resources; and look at other important computer and network security areas, including industrial process controls. NIST must send the report to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Science by 21 months after November 27, 2002. Public versions must not include classified information. Up to $700,000 is authorized for this work.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §7408

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Study
Not later than 3 months after November 27, 2002, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Nation’s network infrastructure and make recommendations for appropriate improvements. The National Research Council shall—
(1)review existing studies and associated data on the architectural, hardware, and software vulnerabilities and interdependencies in United States critical infrastructure networks;
(2)identify and assess gaps in technical capability for robust critical infrastructure network security and make recommendations for research priorities and resource requirements; and
(3)review any and all other essential elements of computer and network security, including security of industrial process controls, to be determined in the conduct of the study.
(b)Report
The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall transmit a report containing the results of the study and recommendations required by subsection (a) to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Science not later than 21 months after November 27, 2002.
(c)Security
The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall ensure that no information that is classified is included in any publicly released version of the report required by this section.
(d)Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce for the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the purposes of carrying out this section, $700,000.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on Science of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Science and Technology of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Tenth Congress, Jan. 5, 2007. Committee on Science and Technology of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Jan. 5, 2011.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 7408

Title 15, Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110