Bipartisan Bills Would Expand Federal Cybersecurity Protections for Biotech
Summary
Two bipartisan bills would direct DHS and CISA to plan for biotech infrastructure protection and improve safeguards for genomic and biometric data. The proposals follow cyberattacks disclosed by Boston Scientific and Amgen.
Key points
- The bills would incorporate biotechnology and biomanufacturing into federal critical-infrastructure planning, without creating a separate sector.
- DHS would identify key biotech organizations, conduct outreach, and update the National Infrastructure Protection Plan to include sector input.
- A separate bill would bring systems handling genomic sequences and sensitive biometric data into critical-infrastructure protections and the national cyber strategy.
- CISA would work with biotech organizations on security measures, including joint exercises, and receive additional personnel for biometric-data security.
- The proposals follow recent cyberattacks disclosed by Boston Scientific and Amgen; the article provides no further incident details.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Bipartisan legislation proposed to strengthen federal cybersecurity protections for biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and biological data.
- Impact
- The proposed bills would direct DHS to plan for and coordinate protection of biotechnology and biomanufacturing as critical infrastructure, and would bring systems handling genomic sequences and sensitive biometric data into critical-infrastructure protections. They would also expand CISA’s work with biotech organizations on security measures and joint exercises, and provide additional personnel for biometric data security. The article reports that Boston Scientific and Amgen had recently disclosed cyberattacks.
People
Maggie HassanSenator and sponsor of the proposed bills.Ro KhannaRepresentative and cosponsor of the proposed bills; quoted on protecting biomanufacturing infrastructure and biological data.Scott PetersRepresentative and House sponsor of the proposed bills.Stephanie BiceRepresentative and House sponsor of the proposed bills.Todd YoungSenator and cosponsor of the proposed bills; quoted as chair of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology.
Industries
BiomanufacturingA bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced two bills to strengthen federal protection for biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and biological data as concerns grow over cyberattacks and physical threats.BiotechnologyA bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced two bills to strengthen federal protection for biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and biological data as concerns grow over cyberattacks and physical threats.