Target Data Breach Has Congress Eying Data-Security Alternatives

Congress will consider new approaches to data security in the wake of major data thefts at Target and other retailers, said House Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI).

He suggested that Congress may need to tackle customer data security "differently" than the current system, where data protection is dictated by a patchwork of federal and state regulations. "Breaches, identity theft, and financial fraud continue, affecting every sector from the federal government to merchants, banks, universities, and hospitals," Chairman Upton said. "We must consider whether the current multilayer approach to data security -- federal, state, and industry self-regulation -- can be more effective, or whether we need to approach the issue differently." Chairman Upton didn't specify what legislative approach he might favor, but his endorsement of any bill creating a national reporting standard that would require retailers to notify customers when their data is at risk could go a long way toward convincing his fellow House Republicans that such a measure is needed.