Cyber-Security Bill Boosts Defense, But May Share Private Data

The House Intelligence Committee approved a bill promoting shared cyber-security information between the government and corporations, despite warnings the measure may enable widespread surveillance.

The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act of 2011, which passed in a 17-to-1 vote, exempts companies from liability for voluntarily disclosing hacking incidents. The act also gives corporations access to data from the National Security Administration to help protect their networks, continuing a pilot program the NSA began this summer.

Additionally, the bill requires companies to disclose whatever confidential information may help the U.S. government track down cyber-spies. This measure follows the Intelligence Committee's ongoing investigation of Huawei for its alleged ties to the Chinese military.

"Through hard work and compromise we have struck a delicate balance that provides strong protections for privacy and civil liberties, while still enabling effective cyber-threat sharing and providing clear authority for the private sector to defend its own networks," said Rep. Mike Rogers (R., Mich.), chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Telecommunications companies like Verizon and Comcast support the bill, hailing its legal protections as strong incentives for the private sector to cooperate with the government.

But the White House and organizations like the ACLU warn the measure will let the government peruse citizens' private information and insulate companies against consumer advocate lawsuits.

"They're just going to blow a hole through all the privacy laws on the books for cyber-security purposes," said Michelle Richardson of the ACLU. "The concern is that the government will be able to create records of people's Internet use in the name of cyber-security."

The ACLU has already sued the Department of Justice over cyber-security issues, alleging the Patriot Act allows the government to access citizens' digital personal information in the name of national security.

Privacy concerns increasingly complicate the government's attempts to prevent corporations from getting hacked, as high-profile hacks on large businesses and government contractors continue to escalate.

After recent breaches at Lockheed Martin, Citigroup, Google and a host of other government contractors and major companies, lawmakers and agencies like the NSA have been deliberating how to protect corporations while preserving civil liberties.

But the task is a difficult one, as the controversy over the Cyber Intelligence Act reveals, suggesting the debate between cyber-security and individual freedom will continue for some time.

Cyber-Security Bill Boosts Defense, But May Share Private Data originally appeared at Mobiledia on Fri Dec 02, 2011 4:09 pm.

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