McCaul: U.S. Must Respond to Growing Cyber Threat

Statement

Today, U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) confirmation that North Korea was behind the cyberattack against Sony Pictures Entertainment:

Chairman McCaul: "Nation-state actors are increasingly hacking into U.S. companies and government networks to steal intellectual property and secrets without consequence. Former Director of the NSA, General Keith Alexander described this loss of IP as "the greatest transfer of wealth in history.' However, the Sony attack was more than just theft -- it was destructive. If North Korea has these capabilities, imagine what damage nation-states like Russia, China or Iran can cause to our nation's vital networks that control our power grid, energy and water supplies or other critical infrastructure. We must do more to ensure our nation is able to prevent, detect and respond to the growing cyber threat. This will be a top of focus of my committee next Congress and I will continue to work with my House and Senate colleagues to build on the cybersecurity legislation passed by Congress last week."

Last week, Congress passed bipartisan legislation to strengthen cybersecurity, providing a foundation for comprehensive cybersecurity legislation next year. The bills bolster efforts to combat cyberattacks on vital digital networks by establishing the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to facilitate cybersecurity and protect Americans' civil liberties. The legislation also strengthens DHS's cybersecurity workforce. Yesterday, the bills were signed into law by the president.

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