U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King of Maine are calling on Congress to pass cybersecurity legislation in the wake of a devastating hack of Sony Pictures, allegedly by the North Korean government.

The senators, who serve on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said legislation is needed to stop future cyberattacks against the United States and protect the federal government and the private sector from hacks.

The FBI on Friday formally accused the North Korean government of the massive hacking attack against Sony, which led the company to stop the release of “The Interview.” The satirical film, starring Seth Rogan, depicts the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

President Obama said Friday the United States “will respond proportionally” against North Korea for its cyberattack on Sony.

“The cyber attack against Sony, perpetrated by the North Koreans, is a stark reminder that adversaries who oppose freedom of expression and our way of life are increasingly using cyber weapons,” Collins said in a statement. “We must respond to cyber threats with the same focus and effort as we have directed to counterterrorism following 9/11, and that begins with reducing the widespread cyber vulnerabilities in the government, the private sector, and in our critical infrastructure.”

Collins echoed Obama’s criticism of Sony’s decision to stop the release of the movie, which he said amounts to a dictatorship imposing censorship.

“Giving in to this kind of threat from North Korea will only embolden that nation and others to strike again,” said Collins, a Republican.

King said the threat of cyberattacks against the U.S. is serious and should be a “wake-up call for Congress to take immediate action to address this issue.”

“Because we are one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world, we are also one of the most technologically dependent, which means that, from our financial systems to power grids and even our health sectors, we are vulnerable,” he said in a statement.

Collins has long pushed for increased cybersecurity. In 2012, the Cybersecurity Act she introduced with a colleague failed in the Senate. The bill would have encouraged companies that operate critical infrastructure – like water plants, transportation networks and electric companies – to improve the security of their computer systems and networks. It also aimed to make it easier for industry to share information about cyberthreats with the government.

“Congress should have acted years ago on cybersecurity legislation that then-Sen. Joe Lieberman and I introduced to better protect our critical infrastructure, such as our air traffic control system, electric grid and water treatment systems,” Collins said. “It is my hope that we will take up cyber security legislation in the new Congress.”

King, an independent, has also called on Congress to pass effective cybersecurity legislation. In a March letter to the Senate Intelligence Committee in support of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2014, King said he has become “increasingly concerned about cyber activity that could cause catastrophic damage to our nation.”

The legislation, which has been approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee, would allow the sharing of Internet traffic information between the government and technology and manufacturing companies. The bill was introduced in July but has not yet been voted on by the full Senate.

Copy the Story Link