Corporate Titans Urge Congress: Renew Lifeline Cybersecurity Legislation Now

Summary

• Business leaders and industry groups are pushing Congress to renew a key cybersecurity law.
• The law, which protects companies that share cyber threat information with the government, is set to expire soon.
• Supporters say it is the legal basis for many public-private partnerships in cybersecurity.
• They want Congress to act before the deadline so that sharing does not stop.

Introduction

Cyberattacks keep getting more frequent, and some of America’s largest companies are pressing Congress to keep a law that makes it easier for them to share what they see. Their message is simple. Sharing threat data quickly protects both companies and government agencies, and the law that allows it should not lapse.

Why Companies Want Action

Business leaders and trade groups have spent recent months warning about the coming expiration of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, passed in 2015 (not to be confused with the agency of the same initials). The law gives companies legal protection when they share cyber threat indicators with each other and with federal agencies. It is set to expire on September 30, 2025, unless Congress renews it.

Supporters, including Top industry leaders and major trade associations, say the law is a big part of why companies feel safe sharing. Without its liability protections, legal teams may tell companies to stop sharing until the rules are clear. That would leave networks more exposed.

Why Partnerships Depend on It

The law encourages companies and government agencies to work together. Sharing an indicator of compromise early can help another target block the same attack hours later. Many partnerships run on that kind of exchange.

Industry groups argue this cooperation is essential. They point to recent ransomware attacks and data breaches as examples where faster sharing helped others defend themselves, and they want Congress to keep that in mind during any debate on cyber policy.

What Industry Leaders Are Saying

Business groups have written to lawmakers and testified that a lapse would hurt national security. They want a clean, long-term extension. Some also want updates for newer threats, like attacks on AI systems.

If the protections expire, they warn, the nation’s cyber defenses would weaken just as threats from nation-state hackers and ransomware gangs keep growing.

Why Continuity Matters

A lapse has real consequences. Companies that share data without legal cover face lawsuits and regulatory risk, so many would stop or slow down. Fewer reports reach the agencies that warn others. For supporters, that makes renewal one of the most important cyber votes in Congress this year.

What Comes Next

As the deadline gets closer, the calls from business leaders are getting louder. They see the law as basic plumbing for national cyber defense.

Lawmakers now have to decide whether to renew the act as written, change it or let it expire. Their choice will shape how freely companies and government share threat information in the years ahead.

John King, CISSP, PMP, CISM

John King currently works in the greater Los Angeles area as a ISSO (Information Systems Security Officer). John has a passion for learning and developing his cyber security skills through education, hands on work, and studying for IT certifications.