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Lawmakers propose shoring up nuclear cyber standards ahead of National Defense Authorization Act markup

NextGov, By Edward Graham, JUNE 16, 2023

The bipartisan proposal, which could be added to the FY2024 defense policy bill, would establish a federal working group to help address gaps in the cyber practices securing the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile.

A bipartisan trio of lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee unveiled a measure on Thursday that would address security risks to the nation’s nuclear weapons systems by creating a federal working group to help mitigate previously identified cybersecurity gaps.

The proposal — from Reps. Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., Don Bacon, R-Neb. and Mike Gallagher, R-Wis. — would establish a Cybersecurity, Risk Inventory, Assessment and Mitigation Working Group within the Department of Defense that is tasked with creating “a comprehensive strategy for inventorying the range of National Nuclear Security Administration systems that are potentially at risk in the operational technology and nuclear weapons information technology environments, assessing the systems at risk and implementing risk mitigation actions.”

The lawmakers are looking to include the measure in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. The committee’s markup of the must-pass defense policy bill is taking place June 21.

A September 2022 report issued by the Government Accountability Office found that the National Nuclear Security Administration — the federal agency tasked with safeguarding the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile — failed to fully implement “foundational cybersecurity risk practices” across its systems, including in its “operational technology and nuclear weapons IT environments.”………………………….. https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2023/06/lawmakers-propose-shoring-nuclear-cyber-standards-ahead-ndaa-markup/387632/—

June 17, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA, weapons and war