Controversial cybersecurity bill passed with resounding Senate support
The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act cleared the U.S. Senate floor on Tuesday with a 74 to 21 vote in support, moving the controversial bill critics contend will grant the government unfettered access to private data one step closer to the president's desk.
Despite protests from privacy advocates and tech industry heavyweights like Apple and Yahoo, CISA passed with overwhelming support from senators who argue the draft bill will bolster national security. Under the auspices of CISA, private companies would be allowed to share sensitive customer data relating to cyber threats with government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the NSA, without risk of legal retaliation.
As noted by The Guardian, CISA aims to set up a system by which companies can legally share bulk data with DHS, which would in turn parse out information to other agencies as deemed necessary. Firms participating in the program would not be subject to Freedom of Information Act requests or regulatory oversight related to data sharing activities.
Apple, an outspoken proponent of user data privacy, wrote a letter last week blasting CISA's current proposal, saying it undermines basic public privacy rights. Wikimedia, Reddit, Salesforce, DropBox and other companies voiced similar concerns in their own statements.
"We don't support the current CISA proposal," Apple said. "The trust of our customers means everything to us and we don't believe security should come at the expense of their privacy."
In spite of calls to amend certain portions of CISA, senators like co-sponsor Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) said the legislation is not a surveillance bill and does not unduly intrude on public privacy. Still, Feinstein urged constituents to vote against proposed amendments backed by Ron Wyden (D-OR), Al Franken (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dean Heller (R-NV) and Chris Coons (D-DE) addressing what those senators considered unreasonable invasions of privacy. Each proposals was struck down.
CISA must pass through the House of Representatives and be reconciled with two related bills before it goes President Barack Obama for signing, reports Reuters. The president is not expected to veto the package if and when it reaches his desk.
Despite protests from privacy advocates and tech industry heavyweights like Apple and Yahoo, CISA passed with overwhelming support from senators who argue the draft bill will bolster national security. Under the auspices of CISA, private companies would be allowed to share sensitive customer data relating to cyber threats with government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the NSA, without risk of legal retaliation.
As noted by The Guardian, CISA aims to set up a system by which companies can legally share bulk data with DHS, which would in turn parse out information to other agencies as deemed necessary. Firms participating in the program would not be subject to Freedom of Information Act requests or regulatory oversight related to data sharing activities.
Apple, an outspoken proponent of user data privacy, wrote a letter last week blasting CISA's current proposal, saying it undermines basic public privacy rights. Wikimedia, Reddit, Salesforce, DropBox and other companies voiced similar concerns in their own statements.
"We don't support the current CISA proposal," Apple said. "The trust of our customers means everything to us and we don't believe security should come at the expense of their privacy."
In spite of calls to amend certain portions of CISA, senators like co-sponsor Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) said the legislation is not a surveillance bill and does not unduly intrude on public privacy. Still, Feinstein urged constituents to vote against proposed amendments backed by Ron Wyden (D-OR), Al Franken (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dean Heller (R-NV) and Chris Coons (D-DE) addressing what those senators considered unreasonable invasions of privacy. Each proposals was struck down.
CISA must pass through the House of Representatives and be reconciled with two related bills before it goes President Barack Obama for signing, reports Reuters. The president is not expected to veto the package if and when it reaches his desk.
Comments
While the US citizen has NO rights to know what is being shared, the fact that the EU will know what info is NOT being shared implies this IS shared with the Government. And as demonstrated in information breaches at VA, IRS, DOD, security clearance data, etc., there is NO good evidence that this won't be equally compromised.
Someday sanity may be restored, but fear and arrogance are hard to overcome.
WOW! ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE! NO RESPECT FOR OUR RIGHTS.
TIME TO REPLACE EACH SENATOR & REPRESENTATIVE WHO VOTES FOR MORE INTRUSION IN OUR PRIVACY & INTO OUR PRIVATE SYSTEMS!
Time for https://www.silentcircle.com for all... Just like PGP...
The 74 traitors who voted in favor of this assault on our liberties should be immediately impeached for wiping their ass with the Bill of Rights
So what can we do to take our rights back? This bill is being supported by both democrats and republicans so we can't blame one side. It's obvious Washington DC has no concern for our rights. No government agency does.
So you are finally realizing that it is just one BIG GOVERNMENT PARTY.
If you want smaller government, and less intrusiveness into your life, you have to vote for those who support libertarian principles. Find out more here & take the quiz: http://self-gov.org
These senators are just dumb. Well, with Apple's built end to end encryption it means Apple really cannot get the data. Not so lucky for other companies.
iCloud servers -- that is likely the weak link, got to learn more about the protections or lack thereof there...
I'm not supporting CISA, but I'd just like to ask: Is this any different than police getting a search warrant when there is probable cause? Would citizens be more comfortable if companies were to notify of data requests? I guess I can understand when an ongoing investigation needs to access data. We are in a new digital era. When there was an investigation into illegal activity 100 years ago, by our laws and constitution police would get a warrant and search the premise. Unless you were using some kind of cipher in everything you wrote on paper, the police were able to search the documents and do their job. But now most documents are digital. So how do we move society forward to allow law enforcement to do it's job. Of course, law abiding citizens should not be spied on or have their information secretly accessed.
In the past you were served a warrant and knew your premises were being search. Guilty or innocent you at least knew you were under investigation and had some idea of the evidence that was being sought, the limits and scope of the investigation and what was actually collected. Now it all happens silently and usually without the knowledge of the suspect. I'm not saying criminal activity should go unpunished but if we are now subject to being data mined to find criminal activity we might all one day be found to be guilty of something.
I'm not supporting CISA, but I'd just like to ask: Is this any different than police getting a search warrant when there is probable cause? Would citizens be more comfortable if companies were to notify of data requests? I guess I can understand when an ongoing investigation needs to access data. We are in a new digital era. When there was an investigation into illegal activity 100 years ago, by our laws and constitution police would get a warrant and search the premise. Unless you were using some kind of cipher in everything you wrote on paper, the police were able to search the documents and do their job. But now most documents are digital. So how do we move society forward to allow law enforcement to do it's job. Of course, law abiding citizens should not be spied on or have their information secretly accessed.
how many warrants did your NSA have?
privacy advocates have noted that the language appears to let new government surveillance mechanisms be draped guise of security protections.
I ought to open a rope store.
People like you are the reason this happened.
So... don’t vote.
Hahahahaha!
You keep believing that if it gives your life some purpose.
Thanks for lifting my spirits!
To abuse their power, effective but way over the limit.
Can't wait for this to backfire in their face. Haven't the
government learned that they are not good at keeping
Information secret. Load of imbeciles!
Bipartisan support too.
It's been evident for some time that the differences between the parties are close to neglible.