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Fitzpatrick Addresses Congressional Hearing on Cybercrime, Data Breaches(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) PHILADELPHIA, April 16 -- Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. (8th CD), issued the following news release: Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-8) joined members of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protections, and Security Technologies Wednesday for a field hearing focusing on the protection of personally identifiable information (PII) and what has been done in the wake of recent, large-scale data breaches. "Data breaches at major retailers and banking institutions pose a very real threat to American families - but just as importantly, this faceless crime threatens to stifle growth and job creation at small, mom-and-pop businesses in our communities," said Fitzpatrick. "For local businesses and families, a stolen identity following a breach can be ruinous - forcing them to fall back on possibly incomplete insurance and pursue additional litigation, all while dealing with damaged creditability. Our constituents - students and seniors, small businesses and community groups - need us to find innovative ways to address this persisting problem." Fitzpatrick, a member of the House Financial Committee, has been active in promoting efforts to prevent data breaches at retailers or financial institutions that could affect consumer PII. The committee recently held its own hearing on consumer data protection. "Protecting personal information and financial data is a shared responsibility. It is going to take collaboration and cooperation among retailers, private institutions and financial services providers," said Fitzpatrick in his remarks. "[T]he government has an important role to play in not only law enforcement but ensuring that individuals, businesses and public property are protected - after all this is a homeland security issues. It is not just criminals who are seeking to exploit security lapses but also nation-states and non-state enemies of the United States." "With respect to consumer data breaches I'd first like to comment on an often forgotten fact - that these incidents have been perpetrated by criminals - and often very sophisticated criminals - that are breaking the law. The targeted retailers are victims in these situations - victims that care very deeply about maintaining the confidentiality of their customer information because if they lose that data, they lose their customers' trust, and they lose business," said Tom Litchford, Vice President of Retail Technologies at the National Retail Federation (NRF). "You may be surprised to learn that in 2013 more breaches happened at financial institutions than at retail stores and websites. Manufacturing, transportation and utility companies, and even professional services firms were targeted. No industry is immune." "In the United States and world-wide, Cyber crime and Cyber threats are multiplying at an alarming rate. These threats come in the form of hacking, phishing, its more sophisticated derivative spear-fishing, malware intrusion, and the well-publicized DDoS or 'Distributed Denial of Serve' attacks on larger U.S. financial institutions," noted Ted Peters, CEO and Chairman of Bryn Mawr Trust Company. Offering testimony at the hearing were: Ari Baranoff, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Investigative Division, United States Secret Service; Jack Whelan, District Attorney, Delaware County, Pennsylvania; Richard Quinn, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Thomas Litchford, Vice President of Retail Technologies, National Retail Federation; and Ted Peters, CEO and Chairman, Bryn Mawr Trust Company. TNS 30TacordaCheng-140417-4706608 30TacordaCheng (c) 2014 Targeted News Service |