Prague, Jan 30 (CTK) – Internet firms want PM Bohuslav Sobotka to stop the preparation of a Czech controversial military intelligence bill and reopen a debate on it, they have written to him, warning of the plan to empower the Military Intelligence Service (VS) to plant cyber protection devices in Internet networks.
Earlier on Monday, VZ director Jan Beroun told journalists that the law, if passed, would not enable the reading of users’ messages on the Internet. The intelligence would only monitor the web’s operation in order to recognise a threatening attack, Beroun said.
Last week, the issue was discussed by leaders of the government parties, i.e. Sobotka’s Social Democrats (CSSD), the ANO movement and the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL).
Sobotka said on Monday he convoked the debate after doubts arose on whether the bill may excessively infringe upon the freedom of citizens.
He told journalists he will also meet representatives of other parties in parliament to discuss the issue.
“A number of questions have mushroomed in the Chamber of Deputies. One of the lower house committees asked me to convoke a meeting of parties in parliament,” Sobotka said.
Ondrej Filip, executive director of the CZ.NIC Internet group, said the authors of the bill failed to take into account certain facts that make the VZ’s potential new power problematic.
“Although the bill’s declared goal is to enhance cyber security and ensure cyber protection of the country, its implementation might, on the contrary, jeopardise the cyber space of the Czech Republic and a number of private as well s public institutions and organisations,” Filip said.
If elements administered by the VZ enter the networks of big operators, a spot would emerge, whose mistake would enable a simultaneous attack on all networks concerned, the operators write.
If a single mistake appears in the VZ system’s security or setup, an attacker could use it to easily attack the whole Czech Republic, they write.
The operators also fear potential high operational risks. They might be forced to withhold extraordinary events in their networks, but at the same time they would face sanctions from clients or the regulator for providing low-quality services.
They criticise the bill for targeting only them but not big Internet contents providers such as Google or Seznam.cz, which have a strong influence on the Internet operation.
Although the government says the bill means no across-the-board wiretapping, it enables the VZ will to uncontrollably monitor all Internet operations and wiretap any messages. This poses high security risks in situations such as a failure of an individual or a hacker’s break in the VZ system, the operators write.
Sobotka said he would like the bill, which is a draft amendment to the military intelligence law, to make it through parliament in a shape refuting any doubts.
There is no reason to make the bill interfere in people’s privacy or freedoms, Sobotka said.
“A shape must be chosen that will be effective and fulfil the bill’s purpose,” he said.
He did not rule out that the CSSD may agree on changes to the bill either with its government partners or the opposition, with the aim to make the bill’s provisions clearer and rule out any doubts.
