Commentary: Opening data to the public isn’t at odds with cybersecurity, but supports it, says the executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition. With governments focused today on tighter security measures surrounding sensitive data, now is an opportune time to adopt reforms that also remove obstacles to open public records and improve access….
Tag: cybersecurity
Secretaries of State Blast Election Hacking Exercise
The National Association of Secretaries of State criticized a series of voting machine hacking events Thursday at DEFCON 26 in Las Vegas for being “unrealistic.” DEFCON’s Voting Machine Hacking Village invited participants to test more than 30 such electronic devices—most of which organizers said remain in use in some U.S. states—and defend or hack a mock board…
Iowa utilities regulator to seek exemptions from public records law
The Iowa Utilities Board plans to seek public records exemptions from the Legislature so it can communicate more thoroughly with utilities and federal regulatory agencies about cybersecurity and cyberattacks.
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Michigan bill seeks new FOIA exemptions for energy infrastructure, cybersecurity
The Flint water crisis loomed large over a hearing Tuesday on a state bill that would provide an exemption from Freedom of Information Act laws for some public documents surrounding cybersecurity and energy infrastructure in Michigan.
“We’re trying to strike a balance here to protect against people with evil intent,” said the bill’s sponsor state Rep. Kurt Heise, R-Plymouth.
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Privacy concerns delay final passage of cybersecurity info-sharing bill
Final passage of legislation to thwart hack attacks is being delayed as lawmakers clash over how best to protect the privacy of Americans' personal information.
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Cybersecurity bill would add secrecy to public records laws
A proposed law meant to encourage companies to share information about cyberthreats with the U.S. government includes measures that could significantly limit what details, if any, the public can review about the program through federal and state public records laws.
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Dem warns cyber bill weakens transparency ahead of vote
A pending cybersecurity bill would weaken government transparency, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) warned on Monday.
A day ahead of an expected final vote on the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) — which would encourage companies to share more cyber threat data with the government — Leahy made a push for his amendment, which would strip the bill of what he believes are detrimental exemptions to public transparency laws.
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Cybersecurity directive from Bush kept secret
From Courthouse News Service: (CN) – President George W. Bush’s presidential directive on cybersecurity is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, a federal judge ruled.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center had filed the FOIA request in June 2009, seeking information related to National Security Presidential Directive 54.
Visit Courthouse News Service for more.
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EPIC FOIA fails to get secret presidential cybersecurity order
From McClatchyDC: A secret presidential directive on cybersecurity is going to stay secret, despite the best FOIA-filing efforts of the Electronic Privacy Information Center.
In a decision issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell rejected the long-running Freedom of Information Act request for the unredacted text of National Security Presidential Directive 54.
Visit McClatchyDC for more.
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Google privacy audit leaves lingering questions
From Information Week:
Privacy rights group Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) recently released the “Initial Assessment Report on Google’s Privacy Program,” which is an audit conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC), dated June 22, 2012. EPIC obtained the report via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
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