Udall Votes Against 'Weak' Cyber Security Bill that Lacks Privacy Protections

Bill would make it optional for companies to share information on hacks, while allowing them to share customers' personal information with the government

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall voted against the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. He issued the following statement:

"In recent months, we've seen the threat that cyber attacks pose to businesses, their customers and the economy as a whole. It's imperative that we take strong steps to protect against hacks. But this bill is not the right approach, and I strongly believe there are better ways to fight cyber criminals while also protecting Americans' privacy.

"Unfortunately the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act does little to strengthen cyber security, but it substantially weakens Americans' privacy protections. It merely offers companies the option of sharing information on hacks with the government - and it gives them a green light to share their customers' private information with the government without penalty.

"We can and must do better. I supported amendments that would have required companies to scrub data of personal information before they shared it with the government. And I will continue to push to protect Americans from cyber attacks while protecting their privacy."