Congressman Maxwell Frost Defends U.S. Assets from China, Russia Cyberattacks, Introduces New Bill to Enhance Cybersecurity of American Spacecrafts
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10) with Congressman Don Beyer (VA-8) have introduced the Spacecraft Cybersecurity Act. This legislation would require the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) to secure a cybersecurity protection plan from manufacturers applying to use federal dollars to build NASA spacecrafts.
The introduction comes after thousands of cyberattacks from malicious actors, including from the Chinese Communist Party and Russia, have been launched against NASA, threatening the safety of Americans, including our astronauts. While NASA has cybersecurity requirements for its spacecraft once they are operating, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit found that NASA needs to add such requirements from the very beginning of the spacecraft manufacturing process, too.
Without requiring that bids for NASA’s spacecraft detail cybersecurity protections within manufacturing contracts, NASA lacks assurance that spacecraft are protected from attacks that could result in theft of national security data, mission failure, or even the loss of control of spacecraft, which could be deadly. Requiring cybersecurity plans upfront will also save taxpayers dollars in the long term.
“Cybersecurity threats by organized crime leaders and foreign adversaries are increasing and evolving rapidly, putting at risk our reliance on space for communications, intelligence, and business,” said Congressman Maxwell Frost. “As we enter a new era of cyber threats, establishing a reasonable timeline for NASA to incorporate cybersecurity measures into their acquisition process is more important than ever. The Spacecraft Cybersecurity Act would safeguard NASA's space missions and continue to advance our country's leadership in space exploration that contributes to our economy, security, and understanding of space.”
“With cyber threats on the rise, the urgency of implementing high quality cybersecurity standards for American space assets and operations cannot be overstated,” said Congressman Don Beyer. “Our legislation will ensure that NASA has comprehensive, high quality cybersecurity measures in place to protect sensitive information related to vital space infrastructure and secure the continuity of space operations.”
The Spacecraft Cybersecurity Act mandates that within 270 days of enactment, NASA must complete a plan to update its spacecraft acquisition standards to include essential cybersecurity requirements. Understanding the technical challenges of this mandate, this bill gives NASA experts a timeline to properly prepare this plan, which would lead companies to incorporate those requirements into both their designs and initial costs, making projects more cost-effective and robust against cyber threats.
###