Reply #22: Hmmm

[rcrush]

"The Cybersecurity Act of 2009 would, for example, give the President unfettered power to shut down Internet traffic in emergencies or disconnect any critical infrastructure system or network on national security grounds. The bill would grant the Commerce Department the ability to override all privacy laws to access any information about Internet usage in connection with a new role in tracking cybersecurity threats. The bill, introduced by Sens. John Rockefeller and Olympia Snowe, would also give the government unprecedented control over computer software and Internet services, threatening innovation, freedom and privacy. CDT President and CEO Leslie Harris said, "The cybersecurity threat is real, but such a drastic federal intervention in private communications technology and networks could harm both security and privacy." April 01, 2009
http://www.cdt.org/headlines/1196


"But the provision that is attracting the most attention is buried deep in the 51-page bill, in a section blandly titled "Cybersecurity Responsibility and Authority." It would give the president broad authority to directly intervene in security matters in both the public and private sectors. For starters, the bill would give the president the power to declare security emergencies and then curtail or shut down Internet traffic to and from any compromised federal or critical infrastructure networks.

"The measure would also enable the White House to order individual government or critical private-sector networks to be disconnected from the Internet for reasons of national security. In addition, the president could classify any corporate network as a piece of critical infrastructure."

"The presidential-powers provision makes the proposed legislation "a sweeping federal takeover of cybersecurity" responsibilities, said Leslie Harris, president and CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology, a Washington-based think tank and lobbying group. If the bill is signed into law as written, it would give the executive office "unfettered discretion" to exert control over private-sector networks on national security grounds, Harris claimed."
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=...


"The Cybersecurity Act of 2009 introduced in the Senate would allow the president to shut down private Internet networks. The legislation also calls for the government to have the authority to demand security data from private networks without regard to any provision of law, regulation, rule or policy restricting such access."
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Bill-Grants-President... /