SCHUMER: UPSTATE POWER GRIDS, BANK DATABASES & TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK SYSTEMS ARE BEING PUT AT UNNECESSARY RISK; NEW FED PLAN WILL LIMIT USE OF KEY SECURITY SOFTWARE; 9 IN 10 CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS WERE ATTACKED LAST YEAR; SCHUMER URGES FEDS TO SCRAP PLAN THAT WOULD CURTAIL ABILITY TO PROTECT NY’S CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FROM HACKERS

Today, on a conference call with reporters, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer said a new Commerce Department plan will negatively impact power utility companies’, banks’, and telecommunication companies’ ability to protect themselves from cyberattacks. Schumer said that Commerce Department officials recently promulgated a new rule that would inhibit the development of new security software and restrict a company’s ability to use software that helps it test its firewall strength