Sometimes when tech policymakers try to solve a problem, their proposed cure would only make matters much worse. That’s certainly the case with draft US legislation that would give victims of cyberattacks the chance to hunt their suspected attackers down. . Known as the Active Cyber Defense Certainty Act, or ACDC for short, the bill aims to let victims try to track down attackers by entering the systems of organizations they suspect the hackers have used to mount assaults. Often, these organizations may be other companies that are unaware their computers have been compromised. An existing US law forbids this kind of pursuit, which is known as “hacking back.” Only a few government agencies, like the FBI, have the authority to hunt down suspected hackers in this way. Supporters of the bill, which was recently introduced in the US Congress, say the FBI and other government agencies are already overwhelmed by an onslaught of cyberattacks, including “ransomware” that has paralyzed computer systems in cities like Atlanta and Baltimore and massive data thefts at large companies like the Marriott hotel chain. In theory, giving businesses and individuals the right to do their own hunting would support the agencies' efforts. The link for this article located at MIT Technology Review is no longer available. . Examining the proposed Active Cyber Defense Certainty Act and its implications for cybersecurity and legislation.. Active Cyber Defense Certainty Act,Cybersecurity Risks,Hacking Back Implications. . Brittany Day
Law students at Chicago's John Marshall Law School are getting a new dose of spam--on their course schedule. The spam serving comes courtesy of John Marshall associate professor David Sorkin, who's offering what he and his peers say may be . . . . Law students at Chicago's John Marshall Law School are getting a new dose of spam--on their course schedule. The spam serving comes courtesy of John Marshall associate professor David Sorkin, who's offering what he and his peers say may be the first law school course devoted to the subject of unsolicited commercial e-mail. "This seminar will investigate legal and policy issues raised by e-mail marketing and spam," Sorkin wrote in describing the summer seminar, titled "Current Topics in Information Technology Law: Regulation of Spam and E-mail Marketing." "Topics to be addressed include litigation and legislation involving spam and e-mail marketing; the application of tort law and other traditional doctrines to spam; concerns related to constitutionality, jurisdiction, extraterritoriality, privacy, content and public policy; regulatory perspectives; issues faced by Internet service providers and legitimate e-mail marketers; legal aspects of blacklisting and other antispam measures; and other relevant issues." Sorkin, who in 1995 taught one of the first courses devoted to Internet law and who maintains a Web repository of passed and pending spam laws, has long touted the applicability of traditional law to the Internet. He has warned against legislation drafted specifically for online contexts, saying that new spam bills, in particular, have the potential to worsen the problem they're designed to alleviate. The link for this article located at ZDNet.com is no longer available. . Law students at Chicago's John Marshall Law School are getting a new dose of spam--on their course s. students, chicago's, marshall, school, getting, spam--on, their, course. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
Get the latest Linux and open source security news straight to your inbox.