Controversial cybersecurity bill to go to Senate vote

But privacy advocates have countered this argument about CISA’s voluntary nature by pointing out that companies could be required to participate in its data collection to receive help from the government, creating strong incentives to share data.

Both of the Bay State’s senators said in separate statements that they do not support the bill.

A few tech giants came out against the bill, including Apple, which has aggressively positioned itself on privacy issues.

Ryan Stolte, co-founder and chief technology of San Francisco-based cybersecurity company Bay Dynamics, said trusting DHS to follow through on this amendment is going to take a leap of faith. While proponents call it common sense, critics say it’s just an excuse for intelligence officials to grab data on citizens without a warrant. Companies can share any private data with the government without the need for a warrant when it comes to the government claiming the information for “cybersecurity” reasons.

Civil libertarians have opposed information-sharing legislation for years, with many warning it will give the National Security Agency and other agencies more access to snoop on Americans’ personal data without improving cyber defenses. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., that would enable the private sector to directly share data with the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Secret Service.

Supporters of the legislation argue that the government could better help private companies secure their systems if it has more information about the threats they face.

“Now, more personal information will be shared with the NSA and with law enforcement agencies, and that information will certainly be used for purposes other than enhancing cybersecurity”.

Despite its controversial nature, the US Senate has passed the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA). Thus, CISA would permit the immediate sharing, with virtually no minimization, of U.S. person content across the government (and from there to private sector and local governments). Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.)-say the bill would make it easier for tech companies to share data in cases of security breaches and other digital attacks.

The edits fix routine spelling errors, but also delete important reports about cybersecurity-one report on the risks to critical infrastructure and another on the government’s adoption of security software.

Several companies took a public stand against the CISA.

Despite being supported by a wide variety of organizations across the political spectrum, the Wyden amendment failed with a vote 41 to 55.

Furthermore, the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), a trade group representing tech companies on a global scale including the likes of Amazon, British Telecom, Yahoo, T-Mobile, Samsung, Pandora, PayPal, Netflix and even Facebook, was clear opposing the bill. The one he is exclusively responsible for tightens the definition of cybersecurity threats and threat indicators, making companies establish the shared information as “reasonably likely to” (instead of “may”) cause damage to their networks.

“This bill is the result of pragmatism and compromise and its passage is an indication of what’s possible when we move beyond partisan politics and put the needs of the American people first”.

Nojeim, for instance, said he wants to see the Senate pass Wyden’s amendment requiring more thorough scrubbing of personal data before any sharing of threats; it would limit the damage this bill could do.