3 ?x ?53. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
a .15: Gaithersburg. Maryland 20899-

?Humovf' OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

JUL 2 2 2019

The Honorable Ron Wyden
United States Senate
Washington, DC. 20510

Dear Senator Wyden:

Your letter dated June 17, 2019, points to an important issue that concerns government at all
levels as well as the private sector. The need to improve practices for securing sensitive data that
is shared over the Internet is one of many challenges that our country faces as we manage our
information resources.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shares your concern, and we
appreciate the con?dence that the Congress has demonstrated in this agency. That support has
enabled us to produce numerous guidance documents that are helping organizations and
individuals to better manage their cybersecurity risks, which strengthens our economy and
security.

NIST agrees that producing easy-to-understand guidance for sharing sensitive information over
the Internet in a secure manner will be an essential element in addressing this issue. We are
researching current technologies, standards, guidelines, best practices and potential future
technologies in order to create the guidance to address this issue.

The NIST Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) will lead this effort and we appreciate your
continued support and con?dence in our abilities to address issues facing the nation.

Thank you for raising this concern and for your suggestion. Please contact me at
im.Schufreider@nist. gov in the NIST Congressional and Legislative Affairs Of?ce if you have
any questions.

 

Sincerely,

(FMR

James Schufreider
Director, Congressional and Legislative Affairs Of?ce
National Institute of Standards and Technology