By Joby Warrick and Walter Pincus, Washington Post
Federal legislators are working on a bill that would make major changes to the way that both government and private networks are protected. The Washington Post reports that the legislation not only will include more enforcement for regulations, but also will push for a federal cybersecurity czar to be stationed in the White House, a measure that security experts have been recommending for years.
Addressing what intelligence officials describe as a gaping vulnerability, the legislation also calls for the appointment of a White House cybersecurity “czar” with unprecedented authority to shut down computer networks, including private ones, if a cyberattack is underway, the officials said.
How industry groups will respond is unclear. Jim Dempsey, vice president for public policy at the Center for Democracy and Technology, which represents private companies and civil liberties advocates, said that mandatory standards have long been the “third rail of cybersecurity policy.” Dempsey said regulation could also stifle creativity by forcing companies to adopt a uniform approach.
Read the full report here.
