Cybersecurity Legislation Moves Forward in Congress
The Senate Homeland Security Committee voted unanimously to report favorably the Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act of 2010 to the Senate at a markup session (video) on June 24th. An earlier version of the bill was introduced on June 10th and a hearing (video) was held on June 15th. The bill would establish a National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications at the Department of Homeland Security. Critics' had said that the bill would also give the President an "internet kill switch" to take over private networks. Before committee passage, the bill was amended to include limitations on the proposed Presidential powers to declare a "cybersecurity emergency" and to better define what parts of critical infrastructure are covered by the bill. For more information, see EPIC Cybersecurity and Privacy.