Senators Markey and Blumenthal Reintroduce Legislation to Protect Cybersecurity on Aircrafts and in Cars
Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) reintroduced two pieces of legislation to address cybersecurity in cars and on airplanes in the age of the Internet of Things.
The first bill – the Security and Privacy in Your Car (SPY Car) Act – directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to establish federal standards to ensure cybersecurity in increasingly computerized vehicles and to protect drivers’ privacy. The bill additionally establishes a rating system – or a “cyber dashboard” – that informs consumers about how well the vehicle protects drivers’ security and privacy beyond those minimum standards. Finally, the SPY Car Act instructs the Federal Highway Administration to create a “cybersecurity tool” and appoint a “cyber coordinator” that will help transportation authorities identify, detect, protect against, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents.
The second piece of legislation – the Cybersecurity Standards for Aircraft to Improve Resilience (Cyber AIR) Act – requires the disclosure of information relating to cyberattacks on aircraft systems, as well as the establishment of standards to identify and address cybersecurity vulnerabilities to the United States commercial aviation system. The Cyber AIR Act also seeks a report to study cybersecurity vulnerability of consumer Wi-Fi on planes.
“It only takes one hacker to access an aircraft or car’s controls to cause a disaster,” said Senator Markey. “Evolving transportation technologies offer enormous potential to improve safety, help protect the environment, and entertain passengers. But these same technologies could pose massive cybersecurity and privacy vulnerabilities if appropriate safeguards are not in place. The SPY Car and Cyber AIR Acts will make sure our drives and fliers are all able to travel safely in the Internet era.”
“This critical legislation will help protect the public against cybercriminals who exploit advances in technology like wireless-connected aircraft and self-driving cars,” said Senator Blumenthal. “As technology rapidly advances, we must ensure the auto and airline industries protect their systems from cybersecurity attacks. Security and safety cannot be sacrificed as we achieve the convenience and promise of wireless progress.”
A copy of the SPY Car Act can be found HERE.
A copy of the Cyber AIR Act can be found HERE.
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