On Wednesday, the DHS Software Supply Chain Risk Management Act of 2021 was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in a 412-2 vote.
The new legislation was developed in response to the Biden administration’s Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity and works to prevent future cyber attacks on critical DHS infrastructure by giving the agency better software supply chain insight and management capabilities, said Rep. Ritchie Torres, vice chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and sponsor of the bill.
Under the bill, the Under Secretary for Management will be required to issue department-wide guidelines for identifying materials used in software development.
The new guidelines will help modernize DHS’ acquisition process and strengthen cybersecurity by requiring DHS contractors to submit software bills of material identifying the origins of each component in the software provided to the agency.
Rep. Torres said, “As cyberattacks become increasingly frequent and sophisticated, it is crucial that DHS has the capacity to protect its own networks and enhance its visibility into information and communications tech or…
