Congressman Renews Concerns About Mar-a-Lago Cybersecurity
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif. Mark J. Terrill/AP
By
Joseph Marks
Rep. Ted Lieu wants to know if DHS is securing the Florida resort’s Wi-Fi when the president visits.
One of Congress’ main cybersecurity wonks wants to know what the Homeland Security Department is doing to ensure President Donald Trump’s information is secure when he visits his real estate properties and whether DHS is ensuring he doesn’t connect to unsecure Wi-Fi networks.
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., also asks about efforts to monitor connected devices such as cameras, monitors and connected cars in close proximity to the president during his travels, according to a Wednesday letter to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.
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The letter follows a May report in Gizmodo that found weakly encrypted Wi-Fi networks at the president’s Florida resort Mar-a-Lago, among other properties.
“As computer science major, I can affirm that such lapses carry a host of implications for the President’s personal security and the country’s national security,” writes Lieu, who serves on the House Judiciary Committee.
The letter also asks whether the Secret Service officers who maintain cybersecurity during the president’s travels are familiar with DHS reports on mobile device security. Numerous concerns have been raised about the Android phone Trump frequently uses to post on Twitter.
Lieu joins a list of lawmakers who have asked for more details about the cyber practices of the president, including details about the smartphone he uses to tweet.