The House has voted unanimously to pass a bill that would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology to offer guidance for small businesses to identify and address cybersecurity risks.
The NIST Small Business Cybersecurity Act would direct the agency’s director to consult with other federal agency leaders to disseminate guidelines, methods, tools and standards to companies within a year from the bill’s enactment, the House Science, Space and Technology Committee said Wednesday.
“While many small businesses do not have the expertise to protect their computer systems and confidential information, it is crucial to our economy and our citizens’ security that these businesses secure their data,” said Committee Chairman Lamar Smith.
The bill also calls for NIST to produce small business guidance based on the agency’s Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity.
The legislation also states that funds required to implement the bill would be authorized out of existing appropriations.
