Tag Archives: executive order

Biden Executive Order Aims To Stop Russia And China From Buying American’s Personal Data

Security,

President Joe Biden will issue an executive order that aims to limit the mass-sale of Americans’ personal data to “countries of concern” including Russia and China. The order specifically targets the bulk sale of geolocation, genomic, financial, biometric, health and other personally identifying information, Engadget reported.

During a briefing with reporters, a senior administration official said that the sale of such data to these countries poses a national security risk. “Our current policies and laws leave open access to vast amounts of American sensitive personal data,” the official said. “Buying data through data brokers is currently legal in the United States, and that reflects a gap in our national security toolkit that we are working to fill with this program.”

Through the White House described the step as “the most significant executive action any President has ever taken to protect Americans data security,” it’s unclear how exactly enforcement of the new policies will be handled within the Justice Department. A DoJ said the executive order would require due diligence from data brokers to vet who they are dealing with, similar to the way companies are expected to adhere to US sanctions.

The Verge reported President Joe Biden has issued an executive order authorizing the US attorney general “to prevent the large-scale transfer of Americans’ personal data to countries of concern.” According to the US Department of Justice today, those countries could include China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

The White House says it’s targeting data brokers, which it says collect more personal data than ever before — data that includes things like personal health and financial data. The scale can be staggering: in a recent example from a Consumer Reports study, 48,000 companies had sent Facebook data on a single user.

Several departments will be required to roll out new protections under the order. The White House writes that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will have to create rules to prevent countries of concern from exploiting personal data, though it’s not clear through what means the DOJ would accomplish this. The data would include that related to genomics, biometrics, personal health, finances, and “certain kinds of personal identifiers.” The DOJ would also be required to work with the Department of Homeland Security to set new security standards regarding data gathered through “investment, vendor, and employment relationships.”

NBC News reported President Biden will issue an executive order Wednesday intended to safeguard the personal data of American citizens from countries deemed hostile. 

The executive order centers on the business of selling people’s personal information, in which companies and so-called data brokers collect and trade data. The Biden Administration is worried that data brokers and other commercial entities will sell this information to “countries of concern- which have a track record of collecting and misusing data on Americans.”

In my opinion, this executive order is very likely going to make the data of Americans safer than it has been before. Data privacy is important, and no one should have to worry about certain countries collecting information on American citizens.

 

Biden Restricts Use of Commercial Hacking Tools By U.S. Agencies

Hacker, ,

President Biden restricted the use of commercial hacking tools throughout the federal government as officials believed high-powered spyware had compromised devices belonging to at least 50 U.S. personnel working overseas, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Mr. Biden signed an executive order that imposes rules limiting the acquisition and deployment of hacking tools from vendors who’s products have been linked to human-rights abuses or are deemed to pose counterintelligence or national security risks to the U.S. It also limits the purchasing of tools if they are sold to foreign governments considered to have poor records on human rights, The Wall Street Journal also reported.

The “Executive Order on Prohibition on Use by the United States Government of Commercial Spyware that Poses Risks to National Security” was signed by President Biden on March 27, 2023. Here are some key points from the Executive Order:

…Technology is central to the future of our national security, economy, and democracy. The United States has fundamental national security and foreign policy interests in (1) ensuring that technology is developed, deployed, and governed in accordance with universal human rights; the rule of law; and appropriate legal authorization, safeguards, and oversight, such that it supports, and does not undermine, democracy, civil rights and civil liberties, and public safety; and (2) mitigating, to the greatest extent possible, the risk emerging technologies may pose to the United States Government institutions, personnel, information, and information systems.

To advance these interests, the United States supports the development of an international technology ecosystem that protects the integrity of international standards development; enables and promotes the free flow of data and ideas with trust; protects our security, privacy, and human rights, and enhances our economic competitiveness.

The growing exploitation of Americans’ sensitive data and improper use of surveillance technology, including commercial spyware, threatens the development of this ecosystem. Foreign governments and persons have deployed commercial spyware against United States Government institutions, personnel, information, and information systems, presenting significant counterintelligence and security risks to the United States Government.

…Therefore, I hereby establish as the policy of the United States Government that it shall not make operational use of commercial spyware that poses significant counterintelligence or security risks to the United States Government or significant risks of improper use by a foreign government or foreign person…

The New York Times reported that the tools in question, known as commercial spyware, give governments the power to hack the mobile phones of private citizens, extracting data and tracking their movements. The global market for their use is booming, and some U.S. government agencies have studied or deployed the technology.

According to The New York Times, the executive order prohibits federal government departments and agencies from using commercial spyware that might be abused by foreign governments, could target Americans overseas, or could pose security risks if installed on U.S. government networks. The order covers only spyware developed and sold by commercial entities, not tools built by American intelligence agencies.

I think it is very clear that people don’t want to be spied upon through their phones. It makes sense for President Biden to prohibit the use of government spyware that poses risks.