After Sony hack, House panel plans cyber focus

The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a series of hearings next year to examine the threat to the economy posed by hackers.

In a statement on Friday, committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said that the new focus comes in light of the massive cyberattack on Sony Pictures, which the Obama administration has blamed on North Korea.

{mosads}“Sadly, every American is now aware of the economic havoc that hacking can wreak on American soil,” Upton said. “With a single swipe or click, e-crime hurts consumers and businesses alike. It is a threat to private investment, public companies, jobs, economic freedom, and overall growth.

“The economic damage is real, and we must work to protect American jobs and commerce.” 

Upton did not specify how many hearings the panel would hold or which aspects of the threats it will examine. It also remains unclear whether lawmakers intend to introduce new legislation in the wake of the attack, as some have called for.

The House panel won’t be the only one with hearings touching on the Sony cyberattack.

In the Senate, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) announced that the Armed Services Committee — which he is expected to chair — will hold a hearing on the issue within the first two weeks of a new Congress.

The massive Sony hack has captured headlines and will likely cost the company more than $100 million. 

It is not the first cyberattack to grab Congress’s attention. At the beginning of the year, the massive hack at Target prompted at least a half-dozen hearings on Capitol Hill, yet the focus failed to result in any major new cyber legislation.