Executive Branch
New Federal Cybersecurity Plan Likely to Ignite Privacy Firestorm
Posted Dec 8, 2008, 04:24 pm CST
By Martha Neil
A recommended plan by a bipartisan commission of technology experts to strengthen cybersecurity laws and create a new federal oversight post equivalent to the director of national security is likely to ignite a firestorm of debate over privacy issues.
The cyber chief would report directly to the president and oversee a staff of 10 to 20 people. They would coordinate efforts by multiple government agencies to mount a more effective defense against Internet attacks that are estimated to have cost the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security, among others, billions of dollars in 2007, reports the Wall Street Journal.
However, "rewriting laws to enhance the government's investigative powers in cyberspace will raise many of the same privacy issues that Congress encountered in its debate over expanding surveillance powers," the article notes.
Related ABAJournal.com coverage:
Claimed China Hack Attack Targets: US Gov’t, Business and Utilities
Comments not appearing after a few seconds? Try emptying your cache ("Temporary Internet files"), making sure Javascript is activated, and refresh this page.