Lawmaker pushes bill to boost hacking sanctions

A House Republican wants the feds to heavily sanction countries on a “State Sponsors of Cyberattacks” list following allegations that China orchestrated a massive digital hit on the U.S. government, stealing over 22 million people’s personal data.

Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) this week introduced the “Protect US Act,” which would give the president and Congress the power to add foreign powers accused of harboring or conducting hacking to such a list. The bill would then give the president power to impose a wide range of trade sanctions on those countries.

{mosads}“The best means to deter countries that actively support or fail to stop or prosecute such attacks is with a swift and punitive response,” Brooks said. “In the absence of adequate punishment, there is no adequate deterrence. In the absence of adequate deterrence, the attacks will continue and likely become more aggressive and worse.”

The government is struggling to defend itself against a rapidly rising tide of cyberattacks from around the globe.

Russia, China and Iran are seen as three of the U.S.’s main digital adversaries. It’s believed all three countries have likely infiltrated critical infrastructure in the U.S., such as banks and utilities companies.

Russia and China have also both been accused of infiltrating government networks.

The government has called China the “leading suspect” in the recent bruising digital attacks on the Office of Personnel Management, which exposed over 22 million federal workers’ personnel files and security clearance background investigations.

Russia was also blamed for hacking the White House, State Department and the Pentagon, gaining access to sensitive information such as President Obama’s personal schedule.

North Korea has even irked the U.S. with its cyber program.

Obama imposed first-of-their-kind economic sanctions on the reclusive East Asian country in December after the administration blamed Pyongyang for launching a destructive digital assault on movie studio Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Several months later, Obama gave the Treasury Department greater power to impose economic sanctions on individuals or entities behind cyberattacks or cyber espionage.

Brooks thinks the country needs to go further.

His bill, he said, “empowers the president to respond quickly and with great discretion when the United States is targeted in a cyberattack originating overseas. Congress retains complete authority on trade sanctions, and this legislation would not limit Congress’ ability to impose or remove any sanctions at any time.”

It’s unclear whether the government will ever formally blame China for the OPM hacks. Even if they do, many are wary the administration will impose any economic sanctions against the nation.

Maintaining the strained U.S.-China relationship is economically vital to the U.S., explained Adam Segal, a Chinese cyber policy expert and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

“Cyber is an irritation, a growing irritation, but one that they don’t want to derail the relationship,” Segal told The Hill in June.