Retailers support liability protection for cyber threat data sharing

ARLINGTON, Va. — The nation’s leading retail associations have joined together supporting legislation to combat cyber threats.



In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), along with the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), and the National Retail Federation (NRF), expressed support for an amendment by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) to the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA).



CISA is bipartisan legislation designed to combat cyber threats and increase information sharing among companies and federal entities. The Cotton Amendment would grant liability protection for electronic sharing of cyber threat indicators with the FBI and Secret Service outside of the DHS portal, mirroring liability protections passed in the House earlier this year with a bipartisan majority.



“Protecting the business community from frivolous lawsuits when sharing threat indicators and defensive measures is essential for collaboration across industries and is a key component in our defense against the growing sophistication and ongoing threat of hackers and cyber-attacks,” said Nicholas Ahrens, VP, privacy & cybersecurity, RILA. “By enhancing public and private information sharing, CISA will help improve the overall cyber hygiene and data security practices of businesses nationwide and keep sensitive information secure.”



The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) introduced by Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) establishes a standard procedure of sharing information between the federal government and private entities regarding cyber threat indicators.