Cybersecurity: Senate bill would make international cooperation a priority

US and EU are both going in the direction of International cooperation. On the 30th of March 2009, European Commission Directorate General Information Society and Media released a communication on Critical Information Infrastructure Protection. Below you find an articole abou the new US legislation proposal, introduced on July 10.

Apart from the declarations, we need to define the building blocks of international cooperation. In particular:
a. Research funds that can be obtained by international consortia (all US and UE funds are closed only to US or EU members)
b. Cooperation legislation framework: a new legislation framework should be defined in order to allow exchange of data (data sets for researchers), information sharing (threats, vulnerabilities, incidents) and information exchanges between operators and government agencies from the same sectors
c. Establish clear point of contacts and responsibilities: who do you contact in US or EU in case of incidens/attacks
d. Exercices and simulations

(FederalComputerWeek) A new Senate bill would encourage the secretary of state to work with other governments to further cooperation on cybersecurity and would require the secretary to submit a report to Congress about those efforts.

The legislation, introduced by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) on July 10, states the secretary should work with other governments to:

• Develop cooperative activities.
• Encourage international cooperation for improving cybersecurity.
• Develop safeguards for privacy, freedom of speech and commercial transactions to be included in agreements or other cybersecurity activities.

The bill would require the secretary to submit a detailed report to congressional committees about actions taken to meet these goals in 270 days of the legislation’s enactment.

“Relevant international cybersecurity agreements focus only on issues relating to cyber crime and common operating standards, and have not been signed by certain countries from which cyberattacks may be launched,” the bill states.

The Obama administration’s cyberspace policy review, released in May, also emphasized the need for international cooperation to secure cyberspace.

"International norms are critical to establishing a secure and thriving digital infrastructure," the policy review states. "The United States needs to develop a strategy designed to shape the international environment and bring like-minded nations together on a host of issues, including acceptable norms regarding territorial jurisdiction, sovereign responsibility, and use of force."

The review recommended that the government develop positions for an international cybersecurity policy framework and strengthen its international partnerships related to cybersecurity.