Bill > S456

This bill, titled the Cyber Threat Sharing Act of 2015, establishes mechanisms for sharing cybersecurity threat indicators, which are pieces of information that indicate or describe malicious activity or vulnerabilities, between private companies and government entities, as well as among private companies themselves, to enhance the protection of information systems. It defines key terms like "cyber threat" and "cyber threat indicator" and outlines how private entities can voluntarily share and receive such indicators with the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (the Center) and Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations (ISACs), which are groups that facilitate information exchange within specific industries. The bill also details how federal agencies, through the Center, will share threat indicators with non-federal entities and among themselves, aiming for real-time dissemination. Importantly, it includes provisions to limit liability for entities voluntarily sharing or receiving these indicators, protects shared information from public disclosure under certain laws, and establishes privacy protections for individuals by requiring reasonable efforts to remove personally identifiable information and limiting the use of indicators to cybersecurity purposes, with specific exceptions for law enforcement in cases of serious crimes or threats. The bill also preempts state laws that would restrict the sharing of these indicators by private entities and includes a sunset provision, meaning the new provisions will be repealed five years after enactment.