WASHINGTON — Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., wants the government to be able to read personal emails in the name of national security—and the American Civil Liberties Union is not happy.
McCain’s recent bill, the SECURE IT Act, would require companies with government contracts to inform the government about cyber threats and urge private industry to share information with federal agencies.
A section of the bill says companies are encouraged to share “network activity or protocols known to be associated with a malicious cyber actor or that may signify malicious intent” to government agencies. The scope of these terms is unknown.
According to Reuters, the ACLU is upset with McCain’s proposal.
“This is a privacy nightmare that will eventually result in the military substantially monitoring the domestic, civilian Internet,” said the ACLU’s Michelle Richardson.
The ACLU also protested the lack of accountability in the program. The bill states that companies would not be prosecuted if they pass information along to federal agencies.
A spokesman for McCain said the bill takes privacy concerns into account, but chiefly aims to protect America.
“Senator McCain’s priority in crafting this bill has been to make sure it strengthens our security while continuing to safeguard the privacy of consumers,” McCain spokesman Brian Rogers told Reuters. “He remains open to addressing legitimate concerns as this process moves forward.”
The bill, supported by seven other Republicans, aims at getting the National Security Agency and its sophisticated resourced involved in cybersecurity. Hacking groups such as Anonymous and LulzSec have recently succeeded in crippling government websites.
McCain recently said he thinks the NSA has more offensive and defensive tools that could be used against cybercrime. He said it is important to see attacks in real time—something the NSA is best suited for.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano thinks her department is most prepared to lead cybersecurity. She requested $769 million for cybersecurity funding in the 2013 budget—an increase of 74 percent from last year’s.
McCain’s bill comes in response to a Democrat bill pushed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. That bill would leave cybersecurity in the hands of the Department of Homeland Security and only let NSA act if prompted to by DHS. Even so, the NSA would be subject to strict oversight.
According to Reuters, sources close to the Senate say neither bill is likely to be passed and that sides may begin talks for a compromise in the next few weeks. Additionally, several bills that pertain to cyber security are currently pending in the House.
