Increase in connectivity, and vulnerability
With the increase in the connectivity of our country, we are seeing a growth of a broader platform for potential vulnerabilities from would-be attackers. Companies, as well as individuals, are starting to see the increased need to ensure the security of their network and to protect against cyber threats.
The theme of increased cybersecurity is being pushed from the top down. The federal government is a big player in this, as seen with the passing of the Cybersecurity Act of 2015.
Sharing of gathered intelligence
[link url=”https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/754″ title=”The Cybersecurity Act of 2015″] requires the establishment of a pathway for sharing cybersecurity information between the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Justice. Additionally, private entities, nonfederal government agencies, state, tribal, and local governments, the public, and other entities can contribute, as well. This pathway for communication is said to work both ways, as private entities can voluntarily share information about cyber threats directly with the Department of Homeland Security.
Potential privacy concerns
Potential privacy issues arise in this setup. That is, private companies could possibly share private information about their users’ with the government, and some of those users may not be directly involved with the cyber security threat at hand.
Yet, the law does not hold the entity liable–the entity is free from prosecution–if the the company shares the information [link url=”https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/754/text#toc-idc6842ed051194cfda77e2d250867c1f7″ title=”without knowing the lack of connection”] “at the time of sharing.”
Many tech companies such as Google and Facebook, along with various civil liberties groups, [link url=”http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-automated-public-private-intel-sharing-system-that-enables-cisa” title=”have expressed opposition to this act”], and have suggested this law serves as a de-facto replacement for the NSA’s mass surveillance program that was ruled unconstitutional.
[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/privacy-vs-security-the-debate-that-cannot-end/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/obama-administration-spells-out-cyber-security-policy/”]
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