Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman: Cyberattacks are biggest threat to privacy

Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI) argued that the danger from cyberattacks are the real threat to Americans' privacy and pushed for robust legislation. “Reducing this threat would benefit every American,” he said. “Ignoring it will guarantee that future attacks will produce headlines describing lasting harm to America.”

Chairman Johnson expressed confidence for legislation, noting that President Barack Obama is also pushing for a bill to increase cyber sharing. “Hopefully, now that the President has acknowledged cybersecurity as a priority, all interested parties will realize that the greater threat to Americans' privacy and liberty really are the cyberattacks themselves,” Chairman Johnson said. “Enhancing America's cybersecurity is a priority of my committee, and was the subject of my first hearing as Chairman,” he said. “It is the focus of other committees in Congress, and we are working with them to craft a legislative solution that takes important first steps in mitigating the threat.”