[co-author: Taylor Daly]

On Friday, December 4, 2020, President Donald Trump signed H.R. 1668, the Internet of Things (IoT) Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020, into law. The measure, which was approved by the House of Representatives in September and unanimously approved by the Senate in November, would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop standards and guidelines for the federal government on “the appropriate use and management by agencies of [IoT] devices owned or controlled by an agency and connected to information systems owned or controlled by an agency” within 90 days of enactment. To read our full alert on the bill’s passage, please click here.

While the bill’s final impact remains unknown, as the scope of NIST’s related guidelines have yet to be determined, Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL), the bill’s sponsor in the House, lauded the bipartisan, bicameral effort to enact the measure, stating, “The bipartisan Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act is a critical step towards strengthening U.S. government IT systems and will help officials patch existing vulnerabilities to protect our national security and the personal information of American families. This law would not have been possible without the leadership of Senators Warner and Gardner passing it through the Senate and Representative Hurd through the House. This is a perfect example of two sides coming together to make our country more secure and prosperous.”