Cybersecurity experts from IBM, Veracode and other globally recognized organizations have launched Securepairs.org, a nationwide network to raise awareness of "right to repair" laws.
Securepairs.org advocates for right to repair laws, which enable consumers to fix and modify their own devices. The group includes more than 20 cybersecurity experts, including:
- Brian Schneider of IBM and Harvard University.
- Gary McGraw, a computer scientist who has written 12 books on software security.
- Katie Moussouris, a vulnerability disclosure expert.
- Chris Wysopal, CTO at Veracode.
- Dan Geer, CISO at venture capital firm In-Q-Tel.
In addition, Securepairs.org is based on the following principles:
- Technology repair and re-use are the rights of owners.
- There is no security for obscurity.
- Technology repair fosters greater security.
- True security is by design.
- Laws must be developed, and cybersecurity professionals must govern themselves with facts – not "fear, uncertainty and doubt" (FUD).
Legislators are currently debating right to repair laws in 10 states. Meanwhile, Securepairs.org is encouraging cybersecurity professionals to educate lawmakers about right to repair legislation.
Right to Repair Laws: Here's What You Need to Know
Right to repair laws are designed to provide consumers with access to repair manuals, replacement parts and other resources and tools that they can use to fix their devices. In doing so, right to repair laws foster competition across the repair industry, as well as provide consumers with the option to fix devices on their own.
To date, Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has proposed a national right to repair law. Furthermore, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is holding a hearing to discuss right to repair laws in July.
