Sony hack could be game changer for cybersecurity push

The high-profile hack at Sony Pictures has injected new urgency into the years-old push for cybersecurity legislation, with a broad spectrum of lawmakers suddenly vowing to take action in the new Congress.

“It’s basically fair game for everything cyber” after the cyberattack on Sony, said Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, a lobbyist at Monument Policy Group, which represents tech giants like Microsoft.

The recent cyber assault caused Sony to briefly pause the release of a multi-million dollar movie, spurred a White House response and escalated tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, which the FBI has blamed for the attack.

It has also transformed what some viewed as a stale debate on Capitol Hill over cybersecurity issues.

“We’ve been having the same discussion on information sharing … since the mid-90s,” said Herrera-Flanigan, referring to various long-stalled cybersecurity information-sharing measures that would give legal protections for companies exchanging cyber threat info with the government.

http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/228286-sony-hack-could-be-game-changer-for-cybersecurity-push