Crossroads Blog | Institute National Security and Counterterrorism

Criticism, Legislation

McCain: Cybersecurity Bill Ineffective Without NSA Monitoring The Net (Wired)

On Feb. 16th, 2012, Kim Zetter wrote for Wired on the response to the CSA, the newest cybersecurity proposal out of the Senate.  Senate Republicans have criticized the CSA and demanded that the bill slow down, even though there is broad consensus that the US desperately needs some form of cybersecurity legislation.  Notably, Sen. John McCain took issue with the CSA at a hearing on cybersecurity.  According to the article, McCain suggested that he (and other Senate Republicans) would write their own cybersecurity bill to address the CSA's shortcomings.  

Why did McCain take issue with the CSA?  According to Wired, McCain believes the NSA should have an "authority to monitor networks in real-time to thwart cyberattacks" if DHS is going to get all this new regulatory authority. 

The article quoted McCain when he said that the CSA "neglects to give authority 'to the only institutions currently capable of [protecting the homeland], U.S. Cybercommand and the National Security Agency (NSA).'"

You can find the Wired source article here.

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