Gillibrand Urges Harder Stance On Cyber Attacks
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) – Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says she will urge President Barack Obama to launch a global effort to crack down on cyber criminals to protect New York City businesses and hold countries accountable.
As Wikileaks continues to run the headlines and release once classified documents, Gillibrand teamed up with Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology, to advocate laws that will examine cyber criminals with a closer eye.
Gillibrand says attacks by hackers on companies like MasterCard and Visa after they cut ties with Wikileaks showcases global vulnerabilities to online threats. Clarke says tools have to be put in place to protect the country's infrastructure from attack.
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WCBS 880's Ginny Kosola reports
A release from Gillibrand stated that "estimates show New York City businesses lose more than $1.9 billion each year from cyber attacks" and that 70 percent of those attacks come from outside the U.S.
Gillibrand, along with Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, proposed legislation earlier this year that would require the president to report to Congress every year about online security issues around the world. The legislation also would identify countries that are of particular concern in regard to online crimes.
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