Obama seeks to tighten cyber laws

New York , Jan. 14 (NsNewsWire) — US President Barack Obama has unveiled proposals to strengthen cyber security laws following a spate of attacks against high-profile US targets.

Recent hacks of Sony Pictures and a Pentagon Twitter feed reflect the need for tighter legislation, the president said, reports BBC.

The proposals are due to be sent to Congress immediately.

Previous efforts on cyber security legislation have encountered opposition from civil liberty campaigners.

Obama continues to face privacy concerns, part of the backlash over revelations about the scope of government surveillance and bulk data collection.

But cyber-crime has directly affected millions of consumers.

Mass data breaches have struck US retail outlets, and there are indications the Republican-led congress would support new legislation.