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US lawmakers and cyber security experts were scrambling to comprehend the scale and scope of the worst-ever hack of US government agencies on Friday, with President Donald Trump under fire for failing to blame Russia for the attack.
Democrats in Congress launched an investigation into the breach and blasted Mr Trump, a Republican, for staying “silent” on a major threat while Marco Rubio, a Republican senator, said it was time to “retaliate” with something tougher than sanctions.
Hackers gained access to the networks of several US government agencies and about 18,000 other clients of the technology company SolarWinds by hiding malicious code in a software update. Analysts point to a Russian government operation, though Moscow has denied any role.
The National Defense Authorization Act has a slate of cybersecurity provisions and its own cybersecurity section drawn from the recommendations of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, including a measure to established a White House cybersecurity official whose job it would be to coordinate response in the event of emergencies like the SolarWinds hack. Given the recently revealed cyber hacks, it is more critical than ever that the President sign this bipartisan bill into law, Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) tweeted on Friday. King co-chairs the Solarium Commission.
Trump has threatened to veto the NDAA because it doesn t revoke liability protections for online platforms – the Section 230 provision of the Communications Decency Act. Trump is also opposed to a measure to rename military bases that honor Confederate military leaders. Lawmakers from defense committees across both parties have urged Trump to sign the bill, which passed by large majorities in the House and Senate.