CISA Passes; Tech Industry Groans

The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act was passed by the Senate in a 74-21 vote yesterday, despite pleas from the tech industry, including Twitter, Google and Amazon, to change certain measures they say allow government to spy on citizens. The House passed a similar version earlier this year, which means a combined version will become law, reports Wired magazine. CISA’s intent is to combat the various security breaches that have targeted big well-known organizations from Target to the Office of Personnel Management. The bill allows companies to share cybersecurity threat data with the DHS, which can pass it along to the FBI and NSA.

One of the loudest opponents was Fight for the Future, a grassroots advocacy group with over 1.4 million members focused on protecting the Internet as a platform for freedom of expression and social change. The group vowed to continue the fight and urged President Obama to veto the bill. However, not all the tech industry was on the same page. CenturyLink, a DC-based global communications, hosting, cloud and IT services firm, applauded passage of CISA, saying that it improves cyber cooperation, requires sharing of critical cyber threat indicators, and extends privacy and liability protections to commercial providers and their customers. (Facebook was also accused of secretly supporting CISA.)

Continue reading this story with a free account

Log in or register
Sign up for more articles like this
Subscribe to Bisnow's Washington, D.C. Newsletters
Related Stories

Why Top-Secret Facilities Are Permeating Greater D.C.'s Office Market

Northern Virginia Office Tower Sells For Double Its 2024 Price

Design Plans Revealed For RFK Stadium Parking Garages, Headed To Review

Security Tech Firm Plans Loudoun HQ Move: The D.C. Deal Sheet

D.C. Investor Behind The Stacks Swaps CEO For First Time In 25 Years

Pennsylvania Avenue Office Sells For Repositioning: The D.C. Deal Sheet

Georgetown Waterfront Office-To-Condo Conversion Lands Financing

Westfield Montgomery Pays Off $350M Loan As New Retailers Expand In Mall

Tishman Misses Payment Deadline On $450M International Square Loan

Real Estate Firm Debuts With $126M Purchase Of Historic D.C. Building

Surging Costs Force Alexandria Developers To Shift Plans

Buyer Of BXP's Sumner Square Revealed: The D.C. Deal Sheet