Tech leaders back cybersecurity info bill

To encourage information sharing practices critical to allaying threats of cybercrime and terrorism, several high-profile tech industry leaders pushed congressional members Tuesday to pass the Cyber Security Information Act, H.R. 4246, before the end of the legislative session.

Representatives of Oracle, Microsoft, Exodus Communication and several industry associations called for "immediate consideration" for the measure or making it a top priority in the 107th Congress.

Signatories said that the measure "will facilitate voluntary private sector information sharing and cooperation with the federal government by addressing the Freedom of Information Act and antitrust concerns associated with information sharing."

Noting that nearly 90 percent of critical infrastructures are owned by private sector groups, the group argued that government "needs to facilitate information sharing between the public and private sectors."