Hassan, Portman File Hack DHS Act to Establish 'Bug Bounty' Program

Sens. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, jointly filed the Hack Department of Homeland Security Act Friday in what they said is a bid to strengthen the department's cyber defenses. The bill would establish a “bug bounty” pilot program at DHS that would encourage hackers to identify and disclose to the department any undiscovered vulnerabilities in DHS' IT systems. Eligible hackers would need to register with DHS and go through a background check before being allowed to participate in the program, Hassan's office said. The bill would require DHS to work with the attorney general to ensure program participants don't face prosecution for their program-specific hacking activities. The program would be similar to those DOD and major tech companies use, Hassan's office said. Senate Homeland Security Committee ranking member Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., are co-sponsors. The Hack DHS Act is the “first step to utilize best practices from the private sector to harness the skills of hackers across America as a force multiplier against these cyber threats,” Hassan said.