Hill Digs Into Innovating with IoT while Protecting Consumers
Cable hasn’t had its turn yet on the Hill this session to talk about security in the Internet of Things, but judging by the number of concerns lawmakers have on the subject, it’s probably coming. A pair of House Commerce subcmte hearings on security in wireless technology and IoT devices offered a glimpse at the issues they’re most worried about—from what role ISPs should have in security to what level of trust there is for IoT devices. When cable gets its turn at the witness table, look for it to highlight the industry’s recent transition to IPv6, which supports better encryption, as well as its work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the FCC to manage cybersecurity risks and the safety of its WiFi network.
At Tuesday’s Communications subcmte hearing, chmn Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) asked if there needed to be a statutory solution, while Rep Mike Doyle (D-PA) probed on what role ISPs should have in regulating security. Symantec’s Bill Wright said it’s a bit early to tell, adding that a lot of private industry is adopting portions of President Trump’s May executive order on federal cybersecurity. Liberty Group Ventures managing partner Kiersten Todt pointed to NIST’s cybersecurity framework, which she said has been successful because it was developed for industry by industry. “The private and public sector should work together. When they don’t work together, we should create incentives, and when those incentives don’t work, then we should interfere with regulation,” she said. Tenable Network Security chmn/CEO Amit Yoran also offered praise for NIST’s cybersecurity framework, particularly its risk-based approach. Read more…
