Cybersecurity Case

The Cyber Security Enhancement Act of 2002 was initiated to address the weakness in Cyber Security Act of 2001. The new bill gives authority to judges to issue appropriately tough punishments for computer crime by allowing them to consider intent, violations of privacy rights and the sophistication of the offense in addition to actual loss. This law will help deter or stop cybercrime by subjecting hackers to real penalties for committing real crimes. This bill also gave government increased latitude and authority to view the electronic information of United States residents. Companies can also give their customers' electronic information (e-mail, chat, phone records, and purchases) to government employees without legal documents or court warrants. This applies to any government employee regional as well as federal. This includes park rangers and schoolteachers, not just law enforcement agents. Also, businesses that report internal security problems are shielded from customer litigation, and the reports are exempt from Freedom of Information Act requests. I feel that this bill has gone beyond the point of keeping Americans privacy. Governments can go through personal emails, phone records and purchases without any merit are absolutely absurd in any country not just America. Companies also get free pass to forget by security protection because they don't have to worry about lawsuits. They are less likely to invest in security and protecting because of this egregious bill. This bill absolutely infringes on Americans privacy and rights as an American citizen. The ninth Amendment states that the "enumeration of certain rights" in the Bill of Rights "shall not be construed to deny or disparage other rights retained by the people." This Cyber Security Enhancement Act of 2002 does provide Americans more protection from security attack, but the government and business have now taken full control over the virtual world. In one case the bill might protect someone from identity theft, but in another, this might be tipping point for privacy for years to come.