Cybersecurity's Need for More National Resources

Today at the Huffington Post, Sarah Granger, founder of PublicEdge, writes about America's need to devote greater resources to cybersecurity. Although Granger's piece addresses America's cybersecurity needs from a broader policy perspective, her HuffPo piece also points toward a piece of legislation that is currently sitting in committee in the Senate.

S.773, the Cybersecurity Act of 2009, was introduced in April 2009 by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and currently has bipartisan support with Sens. Bayh (D-IN), Nelson (D-FL), and Snowe (R-ME) listed as cosponsors. Following the bill's introduction, it was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. While it may take some time to get the bill out of committee, the findings in the bill's full text (see section 2) indicate just how urgent the need is to protect cyberspace.

Even after this legislation (modest in its goals, by Granger's assessment) is passed, there are many major challenges that face a good domestic policy. For example: Section 21 of the Bill, International Norms and Cybersecurity Deterrance Measures, speaks to the need to work with other states and foreign institutions, so that cyberlaw can coherrently govern activity that affects multiple states. Nevertheless, as Granger suggests, this bill is a start in the right direction.

Senate Considering Extension of Patriot Act Provisions

Following the Senate Judiciary Committee's 11-8 vote to extend expiring provisions of the Patriot Act, the full Senate now looks toward extension of these same counterterror measures. For more on the specific provisions, and the related civil liberties/security balancing act, please click here.