I thought we got rid of Bush? On Mon, Apr 6, 2009 at 10:29 AM, Dana <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Bill-Grants-President-Unprecedented-Cyber-Security-Powers-504520/?kc=EWKNLNAV04062009STR1 > > Bill Would Grant President Unprecedented Cyber-security Powers > By Roy Mark > 2009-04-02 > > Article Rating: / 46 > > > Rate This Article: > > Poor Best > > > > Add This Article To: > Digg this > Del.icio.us > Slashdot > Y! My Web > E-mail > Print > Furl > Google > Simpy > Spurl! > PDF Version > > > The Cybersecurity Act of 2009 introduced in the Senate would allow the > president to shut down private Internet networks. The legislation also > calls for the government to have the authority to demand security data > from private networks without regard to any provision of law, > regulation, rule or policy restricting such access. > > > The headlines were all about creating a national cyber-security czar > reporting directly to the president, but the Cybersecurity Act of 2009 > introduced April 1 in the U.S. Senate would also give the president > unprecedented authority over private-sector Internet services, > applications and software. > > According to the bill's language, the president would have broad > authority to designate various private networks as a "critical > infrastructure system or network" and, with no other review, "may > declare a cyber-security emergency and order the limitation or > shutdown of Internet traffic to and from" the designated the > private-sector system or network. > > The 51-page bill does not define what private sector networks would be > considered critical to the nation's security, but the Center for > Democracy and Technology fears it could include communications > networks in addition to the more traditional security concerns over > the financial and transportation networks and the electrical grid. > > Resource Library: > > > > Grant Thornton Achieves 99.7 Percent Tracking of Leased Assets > > > Mobility Redefined > > > Papa Ginos Holdings Corporation > > > Giving Students and Faculty Reliable High-Speed Coverage and Confidence > > > "I'd be very surprised if it doesn't include communications systems, > which are certainly critical infrastructure," CDT General Counsel Greg > Nojeim told eWEEK. "The president would decide not only what is > critical infrastructure but also what is an emergency." > > The bill would also impose mandates for designated private networks > and systems, including standardized security software, testing, > licensing and certification of cyber-security professionals. > > "Requiring firms to get government approval for new software would > hamper innovation and would have a negative effect on security," > Nojeim said. "If everyone builds to the same standard and the bad guys > know those standards it makes it easier for the bad guys." > > The legislation also calls for a public-private clearinghouse for > cyber-threats and vulnerability information under Department of > Commerce authority. The Secretary of Commerce would have the authority > to access "all relevant data concerning such networks without regard > to any provision of law, regulation, rule or policy restricting such > access." > > In another section of the bill, though, the president is required to > report to Congress on the feasibility of an identity management and > authentication program "with appropriate civil liberties and privacy > protections." > > Nojeim complained the bill is "not only vague but also broad. Its very > broad language is intended to confer broad powers." Nojeim also > speculated that the bill's vague language and authority may prove to > be powerful incentive for the private sector to improve its > cyber-security measures. > > "The bill will encourage private-sector solutions to make the more > troubling sections of the bill unnecessary," he said. > > According to a number of media reports, the bill was crafted with the > cooperation of the White House. The legislation aims to create a fully > integrated, coordinated public-private partnership on cyber-security > in addition to pushing for innovation and creativity in cyber-security > solutions. > > "We must protect our critical infrastructure at all costsfrom our > water to our electricity, to banking, traffic lights and electronic > health recordsthe list goes on," Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), bill > co-sponsor, said in a statement. "It's an understatement to say that > cyber-security is one of the most important issues we face; the > increasingly connected nature of our lives only amplifies our > vulnerability to cyber-attacks and we must act now." > > Fellow co-sponsor Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) added, "America's > vulnerability to massive cyber-crime, global cyber-espionage and > cyber-attacks has emerged as one of the most urgent national security > problems facing our country today. Importantly, this legislation > loosely parallels the recommendations in the CSIS [Center for > Strategic and International Studies] blue-ribbon panel report to > President Obama and has been embraced by a number of industry and > government thought leaders." > > The CDT's Nojeim stressed that are a "number of good things in the > bill," including creation of a cyber-security czar, scholarships for > cyber-security programs and collaborations between the government and > the private sector. While urging Congress to change the bill, he > argued that the "problematic provisions shouldn't crowd out the > beneficial provisions of the bill > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;207172674;29440083;f Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:294120 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
