National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020

This year’s NDAA charts a consensus national defense policy that continues the restoration of military readiness, implements a National Defense Strategy to confront Russia, China, and other threats around the world, reforms and modernizes Pentagon business systems and bureaucracy, and – most importantly – cares for our troops and their families.  

Here are the Cyber Provisions:

The NDAA strengthens congressional oversight of cyber operations, and enhances the Department of Defense’s cybersecurity strategy and cyber warfare capabilities. The Conference Report:

Directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a consistent, comprehensive framework to enhance the cybersecurity of the U.S. defense industrial base;

Requires development of metrics for the assessment of the readiness of the Cyber Mission Forces;

Establishes a consortium of universities to advise the Secretary of Defense on cybersecurity matters;

Establishes Principal Cyber Advisors on military cyber force matters for each military service;

Allows the secretaries of the military departments to use up to $3 million in Operation and Maintenance funds to develop cyber operations-peculiar capabilities for the rapid creation, testing, fielding, and operation of cyber capabilities;

Requires the Secretary of Defense to notify the congressional defense committees and describe various operational details of any delegation of authorities from the National Command Authority for military cyberspace operations;

Directs an annual report on military cyberspace operations;

Directs a zero-based review of Department of Defense cyber and information technology personnel;

Mandates a study on improving cyber career paths in the Navy;

Refines the role of the Chief Information Officer in improving enterprise-wide cybersecurity;

Commissions a Defense Science Board study on future cyber warfighting capabilities of Department of Defense;

Directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a review of the cyber posture of the United States on a quadrennial basis; and

Extends the completion date of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission.