'Back-Door' Base Closures
Biden Talks Loss With Fallen Troops' Families
Neely Out at GSA
More USPS Buyouts
Gimme My Discount! Deals for Feds
Buyout Watch: Who's Offering What
House passes bill forcing agencies to guard against file-sharing programs
- National Journal
- October 8, 2003
- Comments
The measure, H.R. 3159, would require federal agencies to develop and implement plans to address threats that peer-to-peer (P2P) software poses to computer systems.
"The federal government uses and stores a wide variety of classified and sensitive information vital to public health [on their networks]," Virginia Republican Tom Davis said. "Installing [file-sharing] programs on government computers allows this sensitive information to be exposed to the public."
Davis and bill sponsor Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said computers with the programs can enable users to access such personal information as completed tax returns, medical records or e-mail inboxes.
"It's not difficult to safeguard [computers], but many of our federal agencies have yet to follow suit," Waxman said. "This act ... protects the ability of federal agencies to pursue new technologies."
By using this service you agree not to post material that is obscene, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable. Although GovExec.com does not monitor comments posted to this site (and has no obligation to), it reserves the right to delete, edit, or move any material that it deems to be in violation of this rule.
