Sunday, April 05, 2009

Big Brother Watch

Hold on to your mouse, the U.S. Senate would grant the White House sweeping new powers to access private online dat, regulate the cybersecurity industry and even shut down internet traffic during a declared "cyber emergency".
The Senate bills are No. 773 and 778 introduced by Sen. Jay Rockefeller and are both part of what is being called the Cybersecurity Act of 2009. These bills would create a new Office of the National Cybersecurity Advisor, reportable directly to the president and charged with defending the country from cyber attack.
The The Cyber Strategic Inquiry 2008, sponsored by Business Executives for National Security
and executed by Booz Allen Hamilton, recommended
to ‘‘establish a single voice for cybersecurity within
government’’ concluding that the ‘‘unique nature of
cybersecurity requires a new leadership paradigm."

These measures are being promoted by ex-President Bush's Director of National Intelligence, Michael McConnell. Mr. McConnell just happens to be the former director of the NSA and is the current director of defense programs at Booz Allen, one of the largest defense and intelligence contractors.
Booz Allen had millions of dollars worth of contracts with the TIA program that was found to be spying on American citizens, antiwar protesters, etc.
They were one of the subcontractors working with the NSA to illegally wiretap American phones.

While internet security is surely one of the most important problems confronting us today, I am not comfortable with the government having even more control. Given their track record for treating the Constitution as a door-mat and their interest in shutting down opposition voices be afraid, be very, very afraid.
More to follow as it develops.

1 comment:

MAX Redline said...

These are quite similar to disturbing new regulations passed this week in the U.K. - apparently following EC standards set forth last year.