Congress may sneak through internet 'kill switch' in defense bill

Congress may sneak through Internet ‘kill switch’ in defense bill
Published on 08-29-2010 Email To Friend Print Version


Source: RawStory

A federal cybersecurity bill that critics say creates a presidential "kill switch" for the Internet could be added on to a defense spending bill and passed without much debate, technology news sources report.

Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE), one of the sponsors of the Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act, told GovInfoSecurity.com that the Senate is considering attaching the bill as a rider to a defense authorization bill likely to pass through Congress before the
mid-term elections.

"It's hard to get a measure like cybersecurity legislation passed on its own," Carper said.

Carper, along with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), introduced the bill in June in an effort to combat cyber-crime and the threat of online warfare and terrorism. Critics say the bill would allow the president to
disconnect Internet networks and force private websites to comply with
broad cybersecurity measures. Future US presidents would have those
powers renewed indefinitely.

The bill (PDF) states that Internet service providers, search engines and other Internet-related businesses "shall immediately comply with any
emergency measure or action developed" by the Department of Homeland
Security.

But many observers point out that that doesn't necessarily amount to a "kill switch" -- and, in fact, the president already has the power to shut off the Internet. As Time magazine points out,
the Communications Act of 1934 grants the president the power to shut
down wire communications during a time of war, and the Internet is now
recognized as a wire communication medium.

Yet the proposed law authorizes the president to declare "cyber emergencies" -- potentially expanding the president's power to shut down the Internet to times when the US is not technically at war.

And even some backers of the proposed legislation argue the bill is too broad and vague, and the powers granted to the executive branch could be unpredictable as a result.

A summary (DOC) of the bill issued by Sen. Lieberman's office describes the powers granted to the president:

The Act will provide a responsible framework, developed in coordination with the private sector, for the President to authorize emergency measures, limited in both scope and duration, to protect the
nation’s most critical infrastructure if a cyber vulnerability is being
exploited or is about to be exploited. The President must notify
Congress in advance about the threat and the emergency measures that
will be taken to mitigate it. Any emergency measures imposed must be
the least disruptive necessary to respond to the threat. These
emergency measures will expire after 30 days unless the President
orders an extension. The bill does not authorize any new surveillance
authorities, or permit the government to “take over” private networks.

The bill "authorizes the president to declare 'cyber emergencies,' without spelling out what would happen next," states an editorial at the Scranton Times-Tribune. "It is certain that the Internet will be a prime means of communication during an emergency. Given the history of the government
over-stepping even constitutional constraints during such times, the
bill's sponsors should retool it to be more specific."

Security expert and Cryptography Research CEO Paul Kocher describes the bill as a "Rorschach blot -- on one level it's absurd, and on others it's impractical and frightening."

Kocher said, "When you build something that will shut down a massively critical piece of infrastructure that people have tried to make reliable, that's a more frightening prospect than anything that
could have inspired such a defense ... It's a very blunt weapon."

GovInfoSecurity notes that the House of Representatives passed a version of the defense authorization bill last spring that included cyber-security measures. If the Senate follows suit, a final version of
the cyber-security legislation would be worked out in conference
committee.

.

Views: 40

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

Comment by Sweettina2 on August 30, 2010 at 5:20pm
Heheheee, me too PH! They can kill the internet, they can kill anything they want...but they cant kill the spirit and soul of the patriots!

"Destroying the New World Order"

TOP CONTENT THIS WEEK

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!

mobile page

12160.info/m

12160 Administrators

 

Latest Activity

Doc Vega posted a blog post
7 hours ago
tjdavis posted blog posts
yesterday
Doc Vega posted photos
yesterday
tjdavis posted a blog post
Wednesday
Doc Vega commented on Doc Vega's blog post Is this proof that the story about Charlie Kirk's assassination is false?
"Les prone, Thanks Buddy! "
Tuesday
Doc Vega posted a blog post
Tuesday
tjdavis posted a photo
Tuesday
Doc Vega commented on Doc Vega's blog post Is this proof that the story about Charlie Kirk's assassination is false?
"Less Prone as usual the official version of the truth does not match the evidence and is labeled…"
Saturday
Less Prone commented on Doc Vega's blog post This Memorable Anthem Given by Nick Freitas Hit the Nail on the Head Please Listen!
"Charlie Kirk was getting very critical against Israel and had turned down a lucrative deal from the…"
Saturday
Doc Vega's blog post was featured

The Army of Government Launched Psychopaths

They walk among us in most college towns. They seem relatively reasonable until political…See More
Saturday
Less Prone favorited Doc Vega's blog post Is this proof that the story about Charlie Kirk's assassination is false?
Saturday
Less Prone commented on Doc Vega's blog post Is this proof that the story about Charlie Kirk's assassination is false?
"Have to sign in to YT for this. So. What I do is to go to https://ytdown.io/en/ and download…"
Saturday
Doc Vega commented on Doc Vega's blog post Was a Planned Civil War Averted?
"cheeki kea, you are spot on. The old guard is about to collapse! "
Oct 2
Doc Vega commented on Doc Vega's blog post Alligator Creek and a Japanese Massacre
"cheeki kea, the Japanese thought they could expand their empire and exact enough damage on the US…"
Oct 2
Michelle Reichert favorited Burbia's video
Oct 1
cheeki kea posted a video

NEW DOCUMENTARY - Dissent Into Madness

TRANSCRIPT AND SOURCES: https://www.corbettreport.com/dissent-into-madness/What if the delusions of the dissidents are in fact real? What if their paranoid f...
Oct 1
cheeki kea commented on Doc Vega's blog post Alligator Creek and a Japanese Massacre
"Japan served themselves up no favours by inching out into the South Pacific as they soon found out.…"
Oct 1
cheeki kea commented on Doc Vega's blog post Was a Planned Civil War Averted?
"Their plans did not work out because we are the news now, and the old news is the enemy. "
Oct 1
Doc Vega posted a blog post

Alligator Creek and a Japanese Massacre

The year is 1942 just a few months after the Pearl Harbor disaster. Despite losses suffered by the…See More
Sep 30
Doc Vega commented on Burbia's video
Thumbnail

CHARLIE KIRK WAS CNP! JOSH REEVES 9-11-25

"With all due respect this guy comes off as a drunken asshole and he didn't even  know who…"
Sep 29

© 2025   Created by truth.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

content and site copyright 12160.info 2007-2019 - all rights reserved. unless otherwise noted