U.S. Senator: We Need to Look Into Anonymous, Pronto

[Greg Tito]

U.S. Senator: We Need to Look Into Anonymous, Pronto

Senator John McCain, former Republican Presidential nominee, asked Congress to dedicate a committee to cyber-infiltration by groups like Anonymous.

With the recent attacks on thefts of personal information at firms like HB Gary [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/tag/psn+down] are serious threats to national security. McCain thinks the problem is that no one group in Washington is tasked with dealing with these issues.

"As you know, cyber security legislation has been drafted by at least three committees and at least seven committees claim some jurisdiction over the issue," McCain wrote in a letter to Senate leaders. "The White House put forward a legislative proposal in May and the Department of Energy put forth requirements and responsibilities for a cyber security program that same month. Earlier this month, the Department of Commerce sought comment on its proposal to establish voluntary codes of behavior to improve cyber security and the Department of Defense issued its strategy for operating in cyberspace.

"With so many agencies and the White House moving forward with cyber security proposals, we must provide congressional leadership on this pressing issue of national security." In short, there are too many cooks in the kitchen.

"I write to renew my request that the Senate create a temporary Select Committee on Cyber Security and Electronic Intelligence Leaks. I feel this Select Committee is necessary in order to develop comprehensive cyber security legislation and adequately address the continuing risk of insider threats that caused thousands of documents to be posted on the website Wikileaks," McCain wrote.

While I didn't vote for McCain in 2008, I always respected him as a leader who knew shit from shinola. He's absolutely correct here that there needs to be a designated government body overlooking the whole cyber-security issue from a top-down perspective instead of hacker groups like Anonymous being the hot potato that no one wants to hold.

On the other hand, maybe the Senators are just worried that they'll be hacked ...

Source: Mccain.senate.gov [http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressOffice.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=250e73df-04c9-0fe5-5417-7701b0ec3945&Region_id=&Issue_id=]

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[The_root_of_all_evil]

Is anyone reminded of Scanners at the moment?

But sure, we can trust McCain. He chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. What more proof do you need?

 

[JPArbiter]

First and foremost would be to put hackers on the payroll to track down Anonymous hackers after their little escapades, so they can be arrested and prosecuted.

I am all for freedom of information but electronic vandalism like what Anonymous does is juvenile, naive, and threatening to common people. eventually doing things "Just for the Lulz" will include shutting down power to a hospital or something that puts real lives in danger.

But sure, we can trust McCain. He chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. What more proof do you need?

Sarah Palin was a political hail mary to garner female votes, nothing more. had Mac been elected she would have been the most marginalized VP since John Adams

 

[KeyMaster45]

Once again, government is late to the party in figuring out what the public figured out long ago. Flattering picture by the way; saying you respect him and insulting him in one fell swoop. The back handed insult is a subtle art we don't see much of in this day and age.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Sarah Palin was a political hail mary to garner female votes, nothing more.

I always saw her as the Bayonetta vote.

Ultra-violent politics with more thought put into image than substance.

 

[CaptainKoala]

I completely agree. There should be a committee dedicated to cyber crime. I see nothing wrong with this.

 

[KAPTAINmORGANnWo4life]

And therein lies the problem with John McCain: He's a reasonable individual with a good idea here or there, but he works in American politics.

That's like sending a talented landscape painter to the front lines.

 

[BabyRaptor]

Is anyone reminded of Scanners at the moment?

But sure, we can trust McCain. He chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. What more proof do you need?

My thoughts exactly.

Seriously, let the people who have a vague clue what they're talking about do their job, ok Mr. McCain? Not every single thing that happens is a chance for you to score political points.

 

[Keava]

Lemme say that. Fancy laws are fancy. What does it mean? That you make all that buzz with the "new legislation" to show your voters how much "you care" and then it changes nothing. The laws to arrest hackers exist already for ages, the tools are all there, it's easy - track them down and can 'em.

Thing is, until you start educating your employees about security, invest in proper security audits, start using the technology available you won't change a thing. As long as some guy in the office opens the attachment in the mail, as long as you let your cousins son who failed to get to college/work write the code for your website, as long as you don't even have basic security in place all the fancy laws you make won't change a damn thing because the nice lady or man working in your office will give out/change password over phone.

Start with basics and use what you already have available. No amount of arrests or pretty papers will completely remove hacking, ever.

 

[Beertaster]

Well hacktivists putting up personal information of random people (addresses, email, birthdays, etc) Should be a crime. Along with obstructing the government from attending to its affairs (Ddos-ing gov websites), and businesses too. So I agree there needs to be a better way to arrest hackers and hold them accountable for their actions.

I mean when I get money out of the bank I'm usually just asked for my driver's license and either my birthday or my address before a withdrawal is made. Its a bad security practice especially if some one walked in with a fake ID of me. but the point is even lesser personal information can be dangerous to give out.

 

[redisforever]

Nice picture you have there of him...

I do agree, get rid of these hackers. though.

 

[Low Key]

Who would be in this committee? Old guys who are better adept at spending other peoples' money and know dick about technology? Seems like the more we try to change, the more things stay the same. Sorry John, I like you, but you are wrong.

On a somewhat related subject, why do we need so many committees for things anyways? Isn't that just another way politicians are able to go "See, I do lotsa work. I deserve a bigger paycheck now", even though all of them already make six figures?

 

[M-JN]

That photo. Ohhh, Escapist. Nonbiased news at its finest. Love it.

 

[darfjono]

OOPS! Looks like you've fallen into the delusion that the U.S. has any power or jurisdiction over the Internet.

 

[Signa]

I like how kids on the net are now threatening the lives of the people in our country.

 

[Verlander]

The man speaks sense. I don't agree with most of his politics, but the man isn't stupid.

What would be much better is proper education at school level on computing. Considering over half of our lives are reliant on some form of computing, so should our education

 

[Canid117]

So no one wants to arrest the founder of HB Gary for conspiracy to illegally attack Wikileaks? Sure I dont always agree with WikiLeaks or Anon but sometimes the people they fight are just as bad.

 

[MegaManOfNumbers]

Next, we'll find a way to bring back the dead!

 

[FallenTraveler]

wouldve been cooler if he had made a "there are too many engi's on the server" joke...