(Sec. 4) Requires the NSF Director to award grants for CNS through: (1) basic research in innovative approaches to the structure of hardware and software; and (2) multidisciplinary research centers of institutions of higher education (IHEs) or consortia thereof which may partner with government laboratories or for-profit institutions.
(Sec. 5) Requires the NSF Director to establish programs of grants to IHEs for: (1) capacity-building of undergraduate and master's degree programs in CNS; (2) graduate traineeships in CNS research; and (3) CNS faculty development traineeship programs to enable graduate students to pursue academic careers in cyber security upon completion of doctoral degrees. Requires the Secretary to provide certain education-related grants under the Scientific and Advanced Technology Act of 1992, but authorizes funds only to support activities to improve education in CNS-related fields. Requires that CNS be included among the fields of specialization supported by NSF's Graduate Research Fellowships program under the National Science Foundation Act of 1950.
(Sec. 7) Amends the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 to require the NSF to take a leading role in supporting research and education activities to improve networked information systems' security.
(Sec. 8) Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (NISTA) to require the NIST Director, through the Director of the Office for Information Security Programs, to establish a program of assistance to IHEs that enter into partnerships with for-profit entities to support research to improve CNS. Authorizes the NIST Director to establish a program to award post-doctoral research fellowships, including senior fellowships, to individuals seeking research positions at institutions engaged in research activities related to CNS. Provides for periodic program review, as well as a comprehensive review after five program years.
Requires the NIST Director to develop CNS checklists for Federal Government computer hardware or software systems.
(Sec. 9) Amends NISTA to authorize appropriations to enable the Computer System Security and Privacy Advisory Board to: (1) identify emerging issues related to computer security, privacy, and cryptography; (2) convene public meetings, and (3) publish and disseminate information.
(Sec. 10) Requires NIST to carry out specified types of intramural computer security research.
(Sec. 11) Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of Commerce for NIST for: (1) the CNS research program; and (2) intramural computer security research.
(Sec. 12) Requires the NIST Director to arrange with the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to study and report to specified congressional committees on vulnerabilities of the Nation's network infrastructure and recommendations for improvements.
(Sec. 13) Requires the NSF and NIST Directors to: (1) coordinate the research programs under this Act; and (2) work with the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to ensure that programs under this Act are taken into account in any Government-wide cyber security research effort.
(Sec. 16) Prohibits the award of grants or fellowships under this Act to: (1) individuals who are in violation of their status as nonimmigrants under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA); (2) individuals who are aliens from a country that is a state sponsor of terrorism, under the Enhanced Border Security and VISA Entry Reform Act (EBSVERA); or (3) institutions that have materially failed to comply with recordkeeping and reporting requirements to receive nonimmigrant students or exchange visitor program participants under INA or the Illegal Immigration Reform and Responsibility Act of 1996, or have been suspended or terminated under EBSVERA.
(Sec. 17) Requires a report to Congress reviewing this Act to ensure that grants and fellowships are being awarded to individuals and institutions in compliance with INA in order to protect our national security.