Friday, August 28, 2009

US Bill Draft Ponders Powers to Be Given to President When Declaring a "Cybersecurity Emergency"

CNet writes:

Internet companies and civil liberties groups were alarmed this spring when a U.S. Senate bill proposed handing the White House the power to disconnect private-sector computers from the Internet.

They’re not much happier about a revised version (...)

The new version would allow the president to “declare a cybersecurity emergency" relating to “non-governmental” computer networks and do what’s necessary to respond to the threat. Other sections of the proposal include a federal certification program for “cybersecurity professionals,” and a requirement that certain computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded that license. (...)

Probably the most controversial language begins in Section 201, which permits the president to “direct the national response to the cyber threat” if necessary for “the national defense and security.” The White House is supposed to engage in “periodic mapping” of private networks deemed to be critical, and those companies “shall share” requested information with the federal government.

Lee Tien from the Electronic Frontier Foundation is quoted saying, “There’s no provision for any administrative process or review. That’s where the problems seem to start.”

[Via Reddit.]

US Bill Draft Ponders Pow ... by Philipp Lenssen | Comments (5)

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