The House of Representatives passed a cybersecurity bill by a 307-116 vote Wednesday to limit liability for companies that report threat information to the U.S. government, the New York Times reported Wednesday.Jennifer Steinhauer writes the Protecting Cyber Networks Act specifies that businesses and federal agencies must remove any personal data from cyber-related intelligence they intend to share with each other.
Cory Bennett and Cristina Marcos reported in The Hill newspaper the bill includes a clause that would prohibit industry from directly sharing threat data with the National Security Agency or the Defense Department.
“Lest anyone be confused, this bill makes clear in black and white legislative text that nothing in the bill authorizes government surveillance in this act, nothing,” Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, told The Hill.
Many government officials and industry groups believe that public-private exchange of digital threat information can help organizations further analyze hacking attempts, according to the newspaper.
The House is scheduled Thursday to decide on the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act.
