We always want to be doing as much as we can on an individual and business level to deter, detect, and defend again Identity Theft and the government is looking into ways to address the issues as well. According to a recent White House blog, members of both parties in Congress have introduced approximately 50 cyber-related bills in the last session of Congress. The blog states “it has become clear that our Nation cannot fully defend against these threats unless certain parts of cybersecurity law are updated.”
The proposed legislation is focused on improving cybersecurity for the American people, our Nation’s critical infrastructure, and the Federal Government’s own networks and computers.
When it comes to protecting the American people, the White House is calling for National Data Breach Reporting. State laws have helped consumers protect themselves against identity theft while also incentivizing businesses to have better cybersecurity, thus helping to stem the tide of identity theft. These laws require businesses that have suffered an intrusion to notify consumers if the intruder had access to the consumers’ personal information. The Administration proposal helps businesses by simplifying and standardizing the existing patchwork of 47 state laws that contain these requirements.
Penalties for Computer Criminals. The laws regarding penalties for computer crime are not fully synchronized with those for other types of crime. For example, a key tool for fighting organized crime is the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Yet RICO does not apply to cyber crimes, despite the fact that cyber crime has become a big business for organized crime. The Administration proposal thus clarifies the penalties for computer crimes, synchronizes them with other crimes, and sets mandatory minimums for cyber intrusions into critical infrastructure.
For more information on measures to protect against identity theft, visit www.hvshred.com