NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- The cybersecurity bill being debated this week in Congress could lead to a bonanza of new software products from the likes of FireEye (FEYE - Get Report), Proofpoint (PFPT - Get Report) and Palo Alto Networks (PANW - Get Report).
The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act aims to foster communication between government agencies and private companies about cyberattacks, which are becoming increasingly common and have given rise to a renaissance in the cybersecurity sector. Over the last year, FireEye is up about 25%, Palo Alto Networks has more than doubled in value, and Proofpoint is up more than 80%.
FEYE data by YCharts 
PFPT data by YCharts 
PANW data by YCharts
But just how this communication would be carried out has already been the subject of intense lobbying, due to the legal issues involved in public-private collaborations and the many opportunities for businesses to win lucrative government contracts.
"These systems are going to need to be developed," said Patrick Eddington, a policy analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. "This is where the private companies would step in in a big way."
Revenues for the cybersecurity majors come primarily from the private sector: Only 10% of Proofpoint's business comes from government, for example. FireEye's portion of public contracts is slightly higher, according to industry analyst Steve Koenig of Wedbush Securities. The company counts 60 governments and military organizations as customers.
