SECURE IT Act

The SECURE IT Act (S 1500) requires federal testing labs to conduct simulated cyberattacks (penetration testing) on voting systems before certification, directly affecting election system vendors and state/local election officials. It establishes a 5-year voluntary program where cybersecurity researchers can legally test election systems (like voting machines and software) and report vulnerabilities to vendors, with researchers protected under federal law from legal action for good-faith testing. Vendors must fix critical or high-risk vulnerabilities within 180 days, send patches to election officials, and undergo expedited federal review for certified systems. The law also creates a public database for disclosed vulnerabilities while exempting them from public disclosure laws.