This bill directs the Federal Government to establish comprehensive strategies for identifying and addressing sensitive data and classified information stolen by foreign entities. It defines covered data to include financial, medical, and biometric data, as well as intellectual property and trade secrets belonging to United States persons. The President, acting through the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence, must develop strategies to identify such unlawfully held data, determine its encryption status, and ascertain if it has been decrypted by foreign actors. Furthermore, the bill mandates the development of strategies to address this stolen information. The Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence are authorized to jointly determine if the destruction, manipulation, or recovery of identified data would serve the economic and national security interests of the United States. If so, they may attempt to destroy, manipulate, or recover encrypted data that has not yet been decrypted by foreign entities, and are required to inform lawful owners when practicable. Finally, the bill requires a joint report to Congress within one year, detailing the strategies and actions taken, along with recommendations for future legislative or administrative measures.
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Timeline
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Select Committee on Intelligence.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Select Committee on Intelligence.
Protecting Stolen Encrypted Data Act of 2026
USA119th CongressS-4230| Senate
| Updated: 3/26/2026
This bill directs the Federal Government to establish comprehensive strategies for identifying and addressing sensitive data and classified information stolen by foreign entities. It defines covered data to include financial, medical, and biometric data, as well as intellectual property and trade secrets belonging to United States persons. The President, acting through the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence, must develop strategies to identify such unlawfully held data, determine its encryption status, and ascertain if it has been decrypted by foreign actors. Furthermore, the bill mandates the development of strategies to address this stolen information. The Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence are authorized to jointly determine if the destruction, manipulation, or recovery of identified data would serve the economic and national security interests of the United States. If so, they may attempt to destroy, manipulate, or recover encrypted data that has not yet been decrypted by foreign entities, and are required to inform lawful owners when practicable. Finally, the bill requires a joint report to Congress within one year, detailing the strategies and actions taken, along with recommendations for future legislative or administrative measures.