Senate Legislation Would Federalize Cybersecurity The Washington Post (04/01/09) Warrick, Joby; Pincus, Walter
as it appeared in the April 3, 2009 edition of ACM TechNews.
The U.S. Senate is considering legislation that would give the federal government an unprecedented amount of control over the security of the nation's information technology (IT) networks. The bill would broaden the U.S. government's cybersecurity efforts to include private IT systems that control important infrastructure, such as the electric grid and water systems. In addition, the legislation would create the Office of the National Cybersecurity Adviser, which would report directly to the president and oversee cybersecurity efforts across all federal agencies. The bill also calls on the National Institute of Standards and Technology to create measurable and auditable cybersecurity standards that both the government and private companies would be forced to meet. The legislation also contains several other provisions, including one that calls for an ongoing, quadrennial assessment of the U.S.'s cyberdefenses. The introduction of the legislation comes amid concerns that a sustained attack on the nation's private computer networks could compromise or shut down the IT systems used by banks, utilities, transportation companies, and other essential service providers. "People say this is a military or intelligence concern, but it's a lot more than that," says John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.), one of the bill's cosponsors. "It suddenly gets into the realm of traffic lights and rail networks and water and electricity." View Full Article
