Thread: CISPA: A guide to the 'Big Brother' cyber security bill

Under CISPA, the government could be reading private emails or looking through a user’s Internet browsing history without a warrant. CISPA grants companies immunity from civil and criminal liability. Clearly, if you give the government an inch, it is going to take a mile.

The Biggest Government Takeover Of Personal Information
Posted on April 29 2013

The House of Representatives passed the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), which take us one step closer to losing our 4th Amendment rights. It now moves to the Senate. Its biggest champion, Republican Mike Rogers (MI)—whose wife stands to profit handsomely should CISPA ultimately pass—held closed-door meetings with his Intelligence Committee and disallowed debate on an amendment that would have required a warrant for the government to spy on you.

CISPA allows the government to access confidential customer data from online service providers, without a warrant and without evidence of criminal wrongdoing. They can provide personal information to government agencies and private security companies, without the need to remove private data, such as medical records or tax returns, and without regard to the privacy you are promised via a website’s listed policy.

Michigan Republican Justin Amash tried to get an amendment passed ensuring that privacy policies and terms of companies would remain valid and enforceable, but was denied.

arly, if you give the government an inch, it is going to take a mile. CISPA’s language is already vague with regard to individual privacy, and we should not expect that anyone is Washington is going to be interested in protecting our freedoms. There are a few, however. Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) is one of the loudest critics of the bill, and he says, “This is the biggest government takeover of personal information that I’ve seen during my time here in Congress.”

But, don’t worry: the Intelligence Committee released a five page document countering “myths” about CISPA, and assures American citizens that sharing personal data with the government will be a “rare” occurrence.

The American Civil Liberties Union, however, calls CISPA “fatally flawed” and goes on, “The core problem is that CISPA allows too much sensitive information to be shared with too many people in the first place, including the National Security Agency.”

The 4th Amendment reads: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

Freedom Works explains why you should fight back against CISPA:

“The dangerous bill would void all current Internet privacy laws to allow companies to share your private information with the National Security Agency (NSA) without a warrant (including emails and Internet browsing history!).

Under CISPA, the government could be reading private emails or looking through a user’s Internet browsing history without a warrant. Users will have no way of knowing what has been shared since information provided under CISPA would be exempt from Freedom of Information requests. There is possibility that a company could—accidentally or intentionally—send your personal details to federal agencies.

CISPA grants companies immunity from civil and criminal liability. Companies could break privacy contracts that they made with customers…if this happens; there is no legal action that customers may take.

We will have no idea what information companies are sharing with the federal government and we will not be able to choose a company that will legally guarantee our privacy.”

http://www.conservative-daily.com/20...l-information/

http://www.bigbigforums.com/news-inf...-spying-6.html

I wonder why the people who were so concerned over the same issues under the Bush Administration are so quiet about these issues NOW ??

Obama's NSA confirms the opening of the data mining center in Utah. What is that, you ask? Well, Wired Magazine explained it best with two words - SPY CENTER.

If you thought the Patriot Act was bad; if you were creeped out by Big Brother watching at the airports.....you ain't seen nothing yet!



NSA Confirms and Explains Ribbon-Cutting for Giant Utah Data Center
May. 31, 2013 2:11pm Liz Klimas

The National Security Agency confirmed to TheBlaze it held a small ribbon cutting ceremony for its Utah Data Center — also dubbed a “spy center” by the likes of Wired magazine – Thursday. http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise...nsa-bluffdale/

On May 18, the Salt Lake Tribune previewed the event briefly, writing: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politic...-mida.html.csp

Invitations have been sent to a select group of Utah politicians and dignitaries inviting them to the Utah Data Center ribbon cutting on May 30. The invitation says the event is unclassified and reporters will be there, but an NSA spokeswoman this week declined to discuss the festivities or say whether the event means the facility will be starting operations. The NSA has previously said the Utah Data Center would be online this fall.

But with no media coverage really emerging from it, TheBlaze contacted the NSA. “A ribbon was cut — largely to symbolize to the authorities the completion of one part of the project,” NSA spokesperson Vanee Vines said in an email. “It was not a debut or public event in the traditional sense.”

Thursday’s event was a briefing — not open to the public or media — for state and federal authorities, Vines added. Sen. Orrin Hatch, Gov. Gary Herbert, members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and others in the state’s legislature were present for the project status update.

Herbert’s schedule stated he would be at a “NASA Data Center Ribbon Cutting and Tour” at 9:30 a.m. at Camp Williams in Bluffdale on Thursday.



NSA’s spokesperson told us that the invitation to this event for state and federal authorities did say “media,” but it was referencing NSA’s own public and media affairs office.

.Vines said that while the exterior of the $1.2 billion data center is complete, its interior is still under construction and is not expected to be fully operational until the end of this fiscal year, putting it online by this fall.

Last year, James Bamford wrote in Wired that the data center is expected to house four 25,000 square foot halls of servers. Here’s a little taste what they could be used for:

Flowing through its servers and routers and stored in near-bottomless databases will be all forms of communication, including the complete contents of private emails, cell phone calls, and Google searches, as well as all sorts of personal data trails—parking receipts, travel itineraries, bookstore purchases, and other digital “pocket litter.”

In other NSA news, the Salt Lake Tribune reported Friday that the agency is readying a special program to staff the facility. The agency is looking to its own back yard — the University of Utah. http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politic...-utah.html.csp

Starting this fall, the university will begin teaching students about data center management, which SLTrib.com reported could be NSA’s Bluffdale center or even eBay and Twitter, which also operate in the state. The new data center management program comes as a request from the NSA itself, which expressed a need for more graduates with this knowledge.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013...h-data-center/

Obama says hacks show need for cybersecurity law
21 hours ago



Washington (AFP) - President Barack Obama said Tuesday the cyber attacks against Sony and the Pentagon's Central Command highlight the need for toughened laws on cybersecurity.

Obama made the comment as the White House unveiled a proposal to revive cybersecurity legislation stalled over the past few years.

"With the Sony attack that took place, with the Twitter account that was hacked by Islamist jihadist sympathizers yesterday, it just goes to show how much more work we need to do -- both public and private sector -- to strengthen our cybersecurity," the president said at a meeting with congressional leaders.

Obama said he had spoken to the Republican leaders of the House and Senate and "I think we agreed that this is an area where we can work hard together, get some legislation done and make sure that we are much more effective in protecting the American people from these kinds of cyberattacks."

The proposal unveiled Tuesday would allow increased sharing of information on cyber threats from the private sector with protection from liability. The measure also would criminalize the sale of stolen financial data, and require companies to notify consumers about data breaches.

A White House statement said the updated proposal "promotes better cybersecurity information sharing between the private sector and government, and it enhances collaboration and information sharing amongst the private sector."

The plan also "would allow for the prosecution of the sale of botnets, would criminalize the overseas sale of stolen US financial information like credit card and bank account numbers, would expand federal law enforcement authority to deter the sale of spyware used to stalk or commit ID theft, and would give courts the authority to shut down botnets engaged in distributed denial of service attacks and other criminal activity," the statement said.

The proposal would shield companies from liability if they share information about cyber threats with the Department of Homeland Security, which has been setting up special units for threat analysis and sharing.

Obama was expected to make comments on the initiative later Tuesday at the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center.

Obama has pressed for cybersecurity legislation to allow the private sector to share data on threats without fear of liability for any adverse consequences from the disclosures.

Earlier efforts on cybersecurity legislation have stalled amid opposition from civil libertarians who feared it could allow too much government snooping and conservatives who argued it would create a new bureaucracy.

However, concerns have been heightened by the hacking of Sony Pictures and massive data breaches affecting retailers including Target and Home Depot.

On Monday, the US Central Command suspended its Twitter page after a group declaring sympathy for Islamic State jihadists hacked its social media accounts and posted internal documents.

http://news.yahoo.com/white-house-re...155403546.html

This is such a crock!!! How are anymore laws going to stop cyber attacks? They won't!! If laws stopped criminals from committing crimes then we wouldn't have any criminals!!! This is just another government ploy to strip us of more rights!!