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U.S: Better international laws needed for cyber-attacks

Written by James Delahunty @ 01 Jul 2011 10:07 User comments (9)

U.S: Better international laws needed for cyber-attacks U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security calls for global action on cyber-warfare.
Janet Napolitano was speaking at a security conference in Vienna when she called for action internationally to being legal systems up to date to address the threat of cyber attacks.

Her comments come after a flurry of high-profile attacks against big targets, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Central Intelligence Agency in the United States, the U.S. Senate, Defense contractor Lockheed Martin and more.

"Most countries don't even have a legal framework that really governs cyber. It is such a new phenomenon in that regard so the legal systems -- both domestic and international -- have not kept pace with the technological advances we have seen," Napolitano said.

"The threats are real. They demand our vigilance, including vigilance in protection of the values we cherish, and they demand continued cooperation," Napolitano said.



On investigation into the high-profile incidents of the past several months, Napolitano stressed there needs to be more cooperation in international investigations of their nature, saying that right now there is no comprehensive international framework in response to the growing threat.

"Right now there needs to be some sort of international legal framework to address those and that does not yet exist," Napolitano said.

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9 user comments

11.7.2011 22:54

Posting a photo of that ugly cow should be a crime.

21.7.2011 23:08

But the US should not force everyone to do so.

Originally posted by hikaricor:
Posting a photo of that ugly cow should be a crime.
And this

32.7.2011 08:25

Most countries don't even have a legal framework that really governs cyber. It is such a new phenomenon in that regard so the legal systems -- both domestic and international -- have not kept pace with the technological advances we have seen," Napolitano said.

that advancement in technology is over 40 years old.

for a government that Pays Millions each month for "Experts" to hack purposely into Government Computers to see if there secure or not you sure are out of touch....maybe you need a different kind of "Expert". if you dont want Top Secret Files jacked i suggest you keep it 1960's, Portfolio and vault it.


42.7.2011 13:44

@DXR88... Exactly! Besides, you also have to be PROACTIVE, not REACTIVE. Regulation doesn't keep cyber crime out of computer systems.

It's like the whole gun debate. Take the guns away... Then who do we find toting around all the guns? The criminals! Laws for cyber crimes will only help for dealing with the individuals AFTER they've been apprehended & then is that 100% effective? I.e., has the US's penal system really rehabilitated that many criminals?

Our judicial system & the box its been working in doesn't work any more. It's time to change things up & consider what they think is unorthodox. "Monkey Traps" & invasion of privacy style traps may be the only way of getting at individuals preparing for destructive behavior.

Not that I want to go down a "Minority Report" path, but if someone knew before hand that my daughter were being targeted for rape, I would certainly want to be waiting behind the door with the loaded shotgun.

53.7.2011 10:22

The US is the only country with more than 1% of it's total population in a prison of some kind.

The us does need to sort that out.

However, in terms of cyber crime, people in certain countries could hack all your details and can't be arrested simply because there isn't any laws they can be arrested for thus can walk free all the time.

That should be sorted as well, as the current attacks have only seen peoples details been handed out without any regard to what these people think of that happening with their details.

People can say hey X should be secure but that means nothing if your credit card details are grabbed and then sold off to someone who wants to make a card up with your details.

63.7.2011 13:49

It's definitely a torrid mess & I feel a bunch of civil liberties are going to be broken in order to get a bunch of it sorted out & then solved. Once that's all done then 'maybe' some sort of normalcy can come back to life, but that's a big maybe. Murphy's Law & human nature just want to throw their own wrenches into the affair.

I just wish honest & reputable people could be trusted to get the problems solved.

73.7.2011 14:01

Originally posted by xtago:
The US is the only country with more than 1% of it's total population in a prison of some kind.

The us does need to sort that out.

However, in terms of cyber crime, people in certain countries could hack all your details and can't be arrested simply because there isn't any laws they can be arrested for thus can walk free all the time.

That should be sorted as well, as the current attacks have only seen peoples details been handed out without any regard to what these people think of that happening with their details.

People can say hey X should be secure but that means nothing if your credit card details are grabbed and then sold off to someone who wants to make a card up with your details.

then they should put all CC details on a closed network. there are ways to secure your Information from outside sources, companies are just too cheap to lazy or don't care about implementing them.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 03 Jul 2011 @ 2:06

84.7.2011 10:12

Originally posted by DXR88:
then they should put all CC details on a closed network. there are ways to secure your Information from outside sources, companies are just too cheap to lazy or don't care about implementing them.
Wasn't there suppose to be a version of this concept in existence in the medical community already being used? I'm aware the military has a version, but like I said, civil liberties (you sign those away when you join up) will have to be adjusted.

Equally so, there were growing pains with it as well. At the moment there doesn't seem to be any further headaches, but they'll continue to fix it till there is.

95.7.2011 08:12

usa doesn't want laws to protect people they want rules to dictate people.they criticise every other country when they feel like it and need to take a good look at themselves.

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