Topic: Information Sharing

The Senate passed the Cyber Information Sharing Act (CISA), which mandates that internet service providers and tech companies share "cyber threat indicators" with the federal government. The hosts examine the broad definitions in the bill, noting that common activities like pinging servers or using VPNs could be flagged as "malicious reconnaissance."

President Obama signed five cybersecurity bills aimed at fostering data sharing between the private sector and government intelligence agencies. Critics argue this cooperation represents a move toward a fascist state where corporations and government entities merge their surveillance capabilities. The legislation is framed as a response to the Sony hack to pressure companies into formal intelligence partnerships.

Former CIA officer Buck Sexton appears on Fox News to reinforce the narrative that North Korea is the only logical culprit. The segment posits that the entire Sony crisis is being leveraged by the NSA to force American corporations into "information sharing" agreements they previously resisted following the Snowden revelations. This is described as a "gambit" to get intelligence services into corporate networks.

The National Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2014 mandates information sharing between the government and private sectors, including chemical, energy, and financial services. Section 205 of the act ostensibly prohibits the collection of data for the purpose of "tracking" individuals' personally identifiable information. However, analysts suggest the language is "nefarious," potentially allowing for monitoring and exfiltration as long as it is not explicitly defined as tracking.

The Feinstein-Chambliss cyber sharing bill is discussed, with Richard Clark providing "fear, uncertainty, and doubt" regarding the vulnerability of the U.S. electric grid. The bill would indemnify corporations for sharing user data with the government in the name of cybersecurity.

The "Buy Secure" initiative is criticized for promoting Citibank and FICO scores through official White House channels. The executive order also expands information sharing between federal law enforcement and private companies, which is viewed as an infringement on privacy under the guise of security.

John Dixon predicts that a major casualty of the NSA revelations will be the breakdown of voluntary information sharing between the private sector and the government. Since private companies control most U.S. critical infrastructure, the Department of Homeland Security relies on their cooperation to identify emerging threats. Dixon argues that increased suspicion of federal agencies will make companies more reluctant to report vulnerabilities or security incidents.

Adam Curry deconstructs a new White House document titled "National Strategy for Information Sharing and Safeguarding." He argues the government is using the word "sharing" as a euphemism for spying and data collection involving the private sector and foreign partners.

The State Department is reportedly overhauling internal computer systems to restrict access following suspicions that the Pentagon was the source of the WikiLeaks data. This move is viewed as a reversal of post-9/11 reforms intended to encourage inter-agency information sharing. Questions are raised regarding why the Department of Homeland Security did not use DNS seizure tactics against WikiLeaks as they did with other websites.

The "million people probably sent this to you" phenomenon is explored, where fans assume a famous person has already seen a news item and therefore stop sending it. This leads to a paradox where celebrities may actually miss important information because everyone assumes someone else has shared it. A parallel is drawn to the bystander effect seen when people witness traffic accidents and assume others have already called emergency services.