White House Seeks Stronger Cyber Security

Americans already have learned the hard way about how computer criminals have been able to steal their identities and clean out their bank accounts. And now the White House is calling for new laws to better protect our infrastructure and our personal finances from the surge in cyber crime, Politico reports.

The Obama administration also advocates a new federal data breach notification law to standardize various state requirements for businesses to inform customers when their personal data has been purloined by hackers or thieves.

“Over time, we’ve seen repeated cyber intrusions,” a White House official told reporters Thursday. “As a result, the president has made cyber security a priority.”

The administration presented a plan to Congress Thursday to prevent hackers and terrorists from tampering with banking and critical infrastructure, such as water facilities, electric grids and chemical plants.