New Federal Cybersecurity Legislation and Regulations Proposed in Washington DC

This week, new legislation and regulations have been proposed to address cybersecurity concerns in new automobiles and the nation’s Bulk Electric System. On Tuesday, Senators Edward J. Markey (MA) and Richard Blumenthal (CT) introduced new legislation to address the hacking risks associated with “connected vehicles.”  The Security and Privacy in Your Car Act of 2015 would mandate that sensitive software systems be isolated and additional safeguards be added “to protect consumers from security and privacy threats to their motor vehicles”.  The legislation followed a 2014… Continue Reading

Department of Homeland Security Must Assess Cyber Risks to Building Access and Control Systems

The U.S. Government Accounting Office (GAO) issued a report this month calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and General Services Administration (GSA) to develop and implement a strategy to address cyber risks to building and access control systems, including the computers that monitor and control building operations such as elevators, electrical power, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.  As these systems are increasingly connected to other information systems and the Internet, there is greater vulnerability to cyber attacks, which, the report explains, “could… Continue Reading