Despite warnings from security professionals and privacy advocates, the House passed the controversial Protecting Cyber Networks Act Wednesday that could put sensitive consumer information at risk, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The Protecting Cyber Networks Act would provide companies with legal protection if they share network information and security threat tips with the government, according to the report. The bill will now advance to the Senate, but many believe it will pass easily given the 307-116 majority vote in the House.
The legislation aims to help reduce cyberattacks by sharing knowledge of potential threats, but many critics are worried about the privacy of consumer data, calling it a "surveillance bill" instead of a "cybersecurity bill," according to the report.
However, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence said Wednesday, "It only authorizes the sharing of cyber threat indicators and defensive measures — technical information like malware signatures and malicious code. In fact, before companies share with the federal government, they must remove all personal information that might be attached to cyber threats. If companies don’t follow those requirements, they will not receive liability protection."
The bill has White House support, according to U.S. News & World Report, if limits are put on collecting and sharing consumer data, in addition to limiting the legal protection companies would receive for not protecting individuals' privacy.
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