Global Data Breaches Driving New Federal Law

This from the Massachusetts Data Privacy Blog. Attorney John H. Lacy takes a tour of data breaches around the globe this week in his Data Privacy Blog. He covers breaches occurring recently in Europe, the Pacific Rim, and the US in addition to the McAfee report on nation-state backed campaigns to hack defense contractors and oil & gas producers. See full list of 71 targets here.

Global breach events also appear to be driving the raft of proposed Federal legislation attempting to regulate how companies store everything from client emails to web browsing data. Top of the list is the Bono Mack bill, if only because it appears to be the most likely candidate to go before the full House for a vote:

• Representative Mary Bono Mack – “SAFE Data Act” – currently in Committee (House Energy and Commerce)
• Representative Bobby Rush – “DATA” – currently in subcommittee (Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade)
• Senators Pryor and Rockefeller – “Data Security and Notification” – currently in Committee (Commerce, Science and Transportation)
• Senator Pat Lahey – “Personal Data Privacy and Security Act” – currently in Committee (Judiciary)
• The Whitehouse - Cybersecurity Legislative Proposal