The House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Subcommittee on the Internet held back-to-back hearings on May 21 focused on “Cyber Threats and Security Solutions” and “An Examination of the Communications Supply Chain” in what was a marathon day of testimony. The first hearing consisted of two panels. The first panelist was Patrick Gallagher, undersecretary of commerce[...]

Debate unfolded this week on the House floor on the bipartisan Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), sponsored by Representatives Mike Rogers (R-Mich) and Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD). Representative Bob Woodall (R-GA) gave an impassioned speech on the importance of preserving consumer privacy while also advocating for the passage of CISPA as a tool[...]

This week, three cyber-security-related bills were passed by the House of Representatives. Three in particular were introduced “under suspension,” meaning that these bills are generally considered less controversial and, as such, receive less time for debate but require a two-thirds majority vote for passage. All three bills passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.[...]

Last Thursday, the House Intelligence Committee voted the “Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act” (CISPA) out of committee by a vote of 18-2. The bill is headed for a floor vote this week. In a nutshell, CISPA allows for private sector companies such as Internet service providers and telecommunications companies to share information with federal agencies about[...]

Congress failed to pass major cyber-security reform during the 2012 legislative session. In the Senate, Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) pushed the “Secure Act of 2012” to a floor vote, but failed to get the necessary votes. In the House, Republican Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) advocated for a cyber-security reform through a series of individual[...]

Last week, the president issued a long-awaited executive order that seeks to protect critical infrastructure – an action he promised soon after Congress didn’t reach agreement on cyber-security legislation last year. This week, the New York Times reported that a link has been established between cyber-attacks against U.S. companies and firms that provide a variety of services,[...]

This morning we kicked off day two of the TechVoice D.C. Fly-In with a Tech Summit that included exceptional panel members from the private sector and federal government diving into IT workforce, Internet governance and other important issues for the tech entrepreneur. Ernest McDuffe, lead of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education, started the morning with[...]

CompTIA’s 10th Annual Information Security Trends study reviews how the use of mobile devices and technologies such as cloud computing create opportunities as well as vulnerabilities, reports Federal Computer Week. Fifty-seven percent of respondents indicated their company has made at least moderate IT security changes to combat those threats over the past two years, while[...]

Many small business owners have put off plans to hire and expand amid uncertainty around what they will face when several Bush-era tax cuts expire at year’s end, said USA Today. Although tax hikes appear to be a likely outcome, there are several legislative scenarios that could alter, minimize or even delay the tax hikes set to kick in this January. After warning that[...]

Passing of new cybersecurity legislation may have to wait until next year. Tech and telecom companies stepped up networking efforts at both national conventions. Obama plans to appoint a secretary of business. The passing of new cybersecurity legislation to protect our nation’s critical infrastructure may have to wait until next year, said The Hill. Even though Defense[...]

The CompTIA Public Advocacy team wants your input and is forming a working group within CompTIA membership that will focus on workforce development issues.  With a new Congress coming in to town in a few months, we will have an opportunity to solidify our standing as a leader on this issue and there will be a lot for the working group to do! You should join this[...]

Cybersecurity startups raising more money than ever. Military veterans struggle to sell skills. Obama and Romney offer differing strategies to foster entrepreneurism. Cybersecurity startups in the Washington, D.C., area are raising more money than ever as investors see it as a burgeoning industry, says the Washington Business Journal. Entrepreneurs are viewed as having[...]

Obama and Romney face engaged technology industry. Executive order on cybersecurity by Obama predicted. Bills that would impose sales taxes on online goods and services debated in Congress. Presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are facing a technology industry that is more politically and financially engaged in the election this year than in elections[...]

Earlier today, the White House issued a letter addressed to Senator Jay Rockefeller, Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, signed by John O. Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. The letter states “the President is determined to use existing executive branch authorities to protect our nation[...]

Small business owners feel policies favor large businesses. Republicans oppose more regulations to boost private businesses’ cybersecurity. Former FBI official calls for clarity on how to combat cyberthreats.

Small business owners feel too many[...]

White House drafts preliminary executive order intended to protect U.S. computer systems. Congress back in session; expected to react. The Obama administration has sought to boost loans to small businesses. The White House has drafted a preliminary executive order with the hope of protecting our nation’s computer systems, says the Washington Post. The exact dimensions[...]

A look at the week of February 28 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, the National Security Agency and the White House disagree about the agency’s role in cybersecurity. A new study finds that the lack of uniform regulation in the cloud computing market is hurting its development. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) plans to introduce a rival cyber bill. White[...]

A look at the week of February 21 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, Republican senators voiced their opposition to cybersecurity legislation introduced by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT). Meanwhile, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano expressed support for the legislation, which would require critical sectors to report network intrusions[...]

A look at the week of February 13 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, President Obama released his budget proposal which seeks to increase funding for science and technology education. In order to address industry concerns about cyber over-regulation by the Department of Homeland Security, the Senate bill will allow certain firms to appeal some regulations.[...]

The 2012 legislative session started off looking very promising for the passage of cybersecurity reform -- then suddenly the landscape shifted. On privacy and intellectual property issues, we saw the Internet companies flex lobbying muscle in an unprecedented way.  Finally, even though 2011 saw more major data breach incidents than previous years, data breach reform[...]

A look at the week of February 6 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week Reuters looks at how companies that have been victims of cyberattacks are disclosing – or not disclosing – these breaches to investors and the government. A House panel has approved a cyber bill giving the Department of Homeland Security authority in determining what type of infrastructure[...]

A look at the week of January 31 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, a compressive cyber bill under discussion in the Senate has some contractors worried about what they see as government overreach. President Obama’s Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra stepped down last week, and members of the tech industry have expressed hope that his replacement will[...]

A look at the week of January 24 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, an adviser to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said that the Senate plans to bring cyber legislation to the floor within the next month. President Obama will make the chief of the U.S. Small Businesses Association into a cabinet-level position. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is[...]

2012 promises to be an interesting year in Washington, D.C., with the upcoming presidential election dominating the political scene. Members of Congress will be anxious to wrap up the session so they can get home to campaign for reelection. This means that the calendar will be compressed and legislative achievements will be limited. That said, hot issues will kick up[...]

In December of last year I reported that Senate Majority Leader Reid and Minority Leader McConnell were in talks on how best to approach cybersecurity reform. Senator Reid expressed preference for a comprehensive and holistic approach, and Senator McConnell expressed a preference for a piecemeal approach to reform. So far, it appears that the piecemeal approach has prevailed.[...]

I am quite certain this week will go down as a milestone for the Internet. For several weeks opposition against the Stop Online Privacy Act and the Senate version Protect IP Act started snowballing and culminated into a day of protest by some of the Internet’s biggest companies, such as Wikipedia, Google, and Reddit to name a few. The protest called for a day of online[...]

A look at the week of January 17 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, the Department of Defense announced that budget cuts would focus on troops rather than cyber technology. Federal CIO Steven VanRoekel announced a new roadmap for government mobile technology purchases and use. Some officials believe that increasing the role of governments in cyberspace[...]

A look at the week of January 9 in public advocacy for the IT channel: With Congress on recess until the end of January, Beltway publications have been focusing on the 2012 legislative agenda. National Journal gives an overview of where cyber and cloud legislation currently stands in both houses and what to expect when Congress reconvenes. Additionally, a recent report[...]

A look at the week of December 19 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, Fierce Health IT reports that health IT professionals are some of the most in-demand members of the workforce. The Hill listed network protections as one of Congress’s top priorities for 2012. Federal CIO Steven Van Roekel wants to break agencies’ habit of clinging to outdated technology.[...]

Last week, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence unanimously passed out of committee the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act of 2011 (H.R. 3523). The bill would “permit cybersecurity service providers and businesses that operate their own cybersecurity systems to share information related to potential cybersecurity threats with other businesses[...]

A look at the week of December 5 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, States urge Congress to address the issue of sales tax in online commerce. Senate Democrats introduced a new payroll tax bill to Republican criticism. A House cyber bill recommends creating a clearinghouse to share data between the government and private sector. Congress Urged to Close[...]

A look at the week of December 12 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, members of Congress are looking at innovative ways to fund small businesses. A cybersecurity bill is making progress in the House Homeland Security subcommittee on cybersecurity. Federal cloud providers have new security controls from the Obama Administration. Both Parties Invest in Crowdfunding[...]

A look at the week of November 28 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, the arrival of new Department of Homeland Security Deputy Undersecretary for Cybersecurity Mark Weatherford might lead to greater cooperation between DHS and the intelligence community. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) wants to attach cyber legislation to the defense authorization bill. The[...]

Access to capital and a skilled workforce are critical to the success of small- and medium-sized IT businesses, CompTIA members told Congressional members and Administration officials today. On the final day of CompTIA's Washington D.C. Fly-In event, CompTIA members from across the country met with policymakers to stress the issues that are important to small- and medium-sized[...]

In more than 50 meetings on Capitol Hill today, CompTIA members from across the country stressed how instrumental small- and medium-sized IT companies are to the nation's economy. Members who attended CompTIA's Washington DC Fly-In event discussed specific legislation with elected officials and legislative staff, as well as the recurring themes of access to capital for[...]

For those who have been following the roller coaster ride of whether comprehensive cybersecurity reform will be accomplished this legislative session, there have been some interesting developments that took place within the last 24 hours. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sent a letter yesterday informing Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that cybersecurity legislation will[...]

A look at the week of November 14 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, Janet Napolitano, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, authored an op-ed citing the urgent need for cyber legislation. A bipartisan group of senators has introduced a bill allowing states to collect sales tax on online purchases. The Institute of Medicine released a report[...]

Earlier this week a very significant development took place that went fairly unnoticed. Congressman Greg Walden, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, unveiled legislation with the purpose of improving process and transparency at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This move was significant because the FCC is an independent agency[...]

A look at the week of November 7 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, the Senate passed a bill that funds multiple cybersecurity initiatives. Small businesses that expand to serve government contracts are lobbying for some mid-size business protections. Rep. James Langevin (D-RI) is calling on Congress to speed up work on a cybersecurity bill. Funding Bill[...]

A look at the week of October 24 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, the Obama Administration rounded up representatives from government agencies and congressional committees to press for comprehensive cybersecurity legislation this year.  Cybersecurity spending in defense IT budgets is expected to accelerate, especially in the event of a cyberattack. [...]

The Deficit Reduction Super Committee and looming re-election campaigns have taken all the air of out of the room. It seems that despite best efforts by Congress to focus on reforming cybersecurity laws and regulations, the environment looks challenging for current proposals to pass during this legislative session. The Republican Cybersecurity Task Force, chaired by Congressman[...]

A look at the week of October 17 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, the SEC updated a disclosure requirement to press companies to report data breaches and cyber attacks.  Agencies[...]

Earlier this week the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade held a hearing entitled “Understanding Consumer Attitudes About Privacy.”  Subcommittee Chairman Bono Mack stated that “despite everything that I have heard in our previous hearings, I still remain somewhat skeptical right now of both industry and government. Frankly, I don’t believe industry[...]

Earlier this week, Congressman Fred Upton, chairman of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee, sent a bipartisan letter to the General Accountability Office to “to examine the government’s role in addressing cybersecurity challenges.” Rep. Upton asked that the GAO to “identify actions taken by the appropriate federal agencies to address cybersecurity challenges;[...]

A look at the week of October 3 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, a new report by the Government Accountability Office found that sensitive data in a number of federal agencies remains greatly at risk.  The U.S. remains the most competitive nation for IT despite economic troubles.  The Obama Administration has designated October as National[...]

A look at the week of September 26 in public advocacy for the IT channel:  This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved three controversial data breach bills.  Spending cuts might limit the government’s ability to transition to cloud computing and take advantage of long-term cost savings.  A new Senate bill aims to stop large firms from pirating federal[...]

A look at the week of September 19 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, agencies report doubts about the White House “cloud first” policy as cyberattacks continue to be a rising threat.  Government Health IT takes an in-depth look at the joint electronic health record (EHR) project that the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs[...]

A look at the week of September 12 in public advocacy for the IT channel: This week, Obama revealed a new jobs plan with tax cuts targeted at small businesses.  Now that Congress is back in session, cybersecurity is topping their agenda.  The healthcare industry reports it is understaffed, in terms of its IT needs.  Small Business Is Focus of Tax Cuts—[...]

Earlier this year the U.S. Secret Service in coordination with Verizon and the Dutch National High Tech Criminal Unit released the 2011 Data Breach Investigations Report.    An interesting outcome of the report is that in 2010 cyber attacks decreased significantly from earlier years, but the number of actual breaches was the highest ever. A possible reason[...]

Last week the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the reform of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, (CFAA).  The CFAA was passed initially in 1986 to impose criminal liability for hacking computers and IT systems owned by the federal government and financial institutions.  Since then there have been numerous amendments to the CFAA, and most recently as[...]

A look at the week of August 1 in public advocacy for the IT channel:   This week, the House established a Congressional Small Business Information Technology Caucus to address issues faced by small tech firms.  The Senate introduced data security legislation.  Cybersecurity bills are stalling in the House despite a growing sense of urgency over recent[...]

A look at the week of July 18 in public advocacy for the IT channel:  This week, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) proposed creating a Senate committee on cybersecurity to draft comprehensive cybersecurity legislation.  A recent report shows the Internal Revenue Service has been remiss in notifying taxpayers when their information has been compromised.  Analysts[...]

A look at the week of July 4 in advocacy for the IT channel:  This week the nation’s largest organization of physician executives announced that it is running a training course designed to better help hospital executives adapt to the rapid changes in healthcare IT. A new research study released this week indicates that the recent spike in cybersecurity breaches is[...]

Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack stated during a hearing this week that “we are not going to take it anymore,” referring to her efforts to pass comprehensive data notification breach reform, in response to the recent announcements by Sony and Epsilon of its major data breaches.   As Congresswoman and Chairwoman of the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee, she[...]

A look at the week of June 13 in public advocacy for the IT channel: A bill to keep foreign workers in the U.S. is encountering difficulties finding majority support in the House.  The SEC has announced that public companies must disclose any breach that could jeopardize intellectual property or trade secrets.  Federal agencies are reporting cost savings and[...]

Those in Washington know that the best way to get steam behind a public policy issue is by building on the momentum of a national news cycle.  Well this week the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade held a hearing entitled “The Threat of Data Theft to American Consumers”.     The hearing was in response to Sony’s announcement[...]

Last week Senators Kerry and McCain introduced the “Commercial Privacy Bill of Rights”.  The purpose of the bill is to impose stricter guidelines for the collection, storage and transmission of consumer data.  If enacted into law the bill would require the following: (1) Companies that collect consumer data would have requirements for  ensuring that[...]

Last week the Obama Administration issued the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace.  The Administration is promoting a new online “identity ecosystem”.  The way the system works is that consumers could choose to obtain an online credential (from a variety of third-party certificate providers) that serve as digital key chains to authenticate[...]

Representative Jim Langevin the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee of Threats and Capabilities held a roundtable discussion last week with the industry to discuss his bill the Executive Cyberspace Coordination Act of 2011, which he introduced on March 16.  Congressman Langevin stated that the bill would  “establish a National Office for Cyberspace to evaluate[...]

A look at the week of February 21 in public advocacy for the IT channel The Senate-approved version of the 1099 tax provision repeal bill clashes with a version of the repeal approved by House Ways and Means Committee regarding how the government can pay for the repeal. This week, the Senate's cyber bill was updated with language explicitly prohibiting the President[...]

As national policymakers observed the protests in Egypt unfold, an interesting fact emerged. Egypt's President Mubarak ordered the utility companies and Internet Service Providers to restrict Internet traffic, ultimately shutting down access to the Internet. Consequently, Egyptian citizens had no access to social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook or Google that[...]

A look at the week of February 14 in public advocacy for the IT channel This week, the House Ways and Means Committee will begin looking over the 1099 tax provision repeal bill passed in the Senate. Republican plans for a cybersecurity bill may contrast with efforts in the Senate. Federal IT contracts are expected to increase, despite budget cuts. House Ways and Means[...]

A look at the week of February 7 in public advocacy for the IT channel This week, the Senate voted to repeal the 1099 provision from the healthcare bill. After watching the Egyptian government dismantle Internet communications to stifle protestors, Senators are facing tough questions about the scope of proposed cybersecurity regulations. Dr. David Blumenthal, the[...]

Does the Department of Defense have a role in the event of a major cyber attack on critical infrastructure? This is the question that Rep. Mac Thornberry, chair of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threat and Capabilities, raised. Today, the Congressman convened a group of cybersecurity experts from academia, not-for-profits and the private sector to assess the vulnerabilities[...]

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend the "State of the Net" conference hosted by the Advisory Committee to the Congressional Internet Caucus held in Washington, D.C. The event was very well attended and there were numerous panels on a variety of public policy issues related to technology. Read on for a summary of the panels I attended. Online Privacy on Trial:[...]