Jay Rockefeller’s Nutty Cyberlaw

5:27 am EST August 28th, 2009 | News | 6 Comments

jay-rockefellerSen. Rockefeller, you probably mean well but this is wrong and just gives fodder to the super-loons out there.

CNET News has obtained a copy of the 55-page draft (excerpt), which still appears to permit the president to seize temporary control of private sector networks during a so-called cybersecurity emergency.

The new version allows the president to “declare a cybersecurity emergency” relating to “non-governmental” computer networks and do what’s necessary to respond to the threat. Other sections of the proposal include a federal certification program for “cybersecurity professionals,” and a requirement that certain computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded that license.

…

Probably the most controversial language begins in Section 201, which permits the president to “direct the national response to the cyber threat” if necessary for “the national defense and security.” The White House is supposed to engage in “periodic mapping” of private networks deemed to be critical, and those companies “shall share” requested information with the federal government. (“Cyber” is defined as anything having to do with the Internet, telecommunications, computers, or computer networks.)

“The language has changed but it doesn’t contain any real additional limits,” EFF’s Tien says. “It simply switches the more direct and obvious language they had originally to the more ambiguous (version)… The designation of what is a critical infrastructure system or network as far as I can tell has no specific process. There’s no provision for any administrative process or review. That’s where the problems seem to start. And then you have the amorphous powers that go along with it.”

This is just an ill-defined power grab, and it grants powers I wouldn’t want to see in the hands of Barack Obama (who I trust) or George W. Bush (who I don’t).

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6 Responses to “Jay Rockefeller’s Nutty Cyberlaw”

  1. jr says:
    August 28, 2009 at 6:15 am

    Tonight’s Glenn Beck chalkboarditude “Jay Rockefeller->Black Panters->Saul Alinsky->William Ayers->ACORN->Gordon From Sesame Street->Barack Obama”

  2. soullite says:
    August 28, 2009 at 11:56 am

    If it has anything to do with telecoms or the internet, Jello Jay doesn’t ever mean well. He means exactly what he does.

  3. Duros62 says:
    August 28, 2009 at 11:56 am

    ->Gordon From Sesame Street->

    I knew it!

  4. jeff says:
    August 28, 2009 at 8:46 pm

    Good call, OW. That very story is on Foxnews mobile site right now–up at the top–just after the headline saying Don’t Exhale b/c of new CO2 laws

  5. monkethepenguin says:
    August 31, 2009 at 8:07 pm

    BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING

  6. Robert says:
    September 1, 2009 at 2:28 pm

    Trust Obama not a wise decission and for Jay the banker family is just another senator that is committing treason against the people of the US.This is not Iraq and this is not going to be tolerated.