§7441 Cybersecurity Competitions and Challenges

Summary

The Secretary of Commerce, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security must run and support cybersecurity competitions and challenges, working with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management. These contests can use federal prize authority or other laws. Their goals are to find, train, and recruit skilled people for cybersecurity jobs in federal, state, local, tribal, and private organizations, and to spur research, technology development, and prototype demonstrations useful to federal IT. The agencies must make sure the contests run well. The contests can include students in grades 9 through 12, college students working on a bachelor’s degree, postbaccalaureate students, colleges and research institutions, veterans, and other groups the agencies approve. They can be run with federal agencies, regional or school programs, state/local/tribal governments, or private groups. Challenges should test skills like ethical hacking, penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, keeping systems running, secure design, cyber forensics, offensive and defensive cyber work, and other needed areas. The agencies must seek input from many inside and outside government and may form advisory committees. The Office of Personnel Management may offer internships or work experience to winners.