Sen Leahy re-introduces bill to make concealing data breaches a crime

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) re-introduced a bill that would establish a national standard for data breach reporting and make it a crime to conceal a data breach that could result in financial harm to consumers.

The legislation would make it a crime to intentionally conceal a data breach that could cause economic damage to consumers, punishable by up to five years in jail. The bill would require data brokers to disclose to consumers what sensitive personal information they have about them and allow consumers to make corrections to that data. The bill would also require firms to take steps to safeguard the privacy and security of consumers and increase the penalties for attempted computer hacking and conspiracy to commit hacking. It would require both firms and businesses to inform consumers when their personal information has been breached.Chairman Leahy first introduced a version of the bill in 2005 and has steered it through the Judiciary Committee in each of the last three Congresses, only to see it languish on the Senate floor. However, he is more optimistic this time around thanks to the renewed focus on cybersecurity on the Hill.