There has been quite a large amount of cyber attacks these past few months –starting from the dissident Wikileaks for exposing highly sensitive government documents, to the recently disbanded LulzSec, and now its legacy, Anonymous, running wild under the #AntiSec banner. These figures have debased federal agencies and contractors such as Booz Allen Hamilton, IRC Federal, Lockheed Martin and Northop Grumman. It is with this thrust that US Sen. John McCain wrote a letter addressed to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to form a specialized committee to look into these attacks, pointing out the importance of addressing the threats tendered by notoriety of these mischievous hactivisits.

“I write to renew my request that the Senate create a temporary Select Committee on Cyber Security and Electronic Intelligence Leaks. I feel this Select Committee is necessary in order to develop comprehensive cyber security legislation and adequately address the continuing risk of insider threats that caused thousands of documents to be posted on the website Wikileaks,” McCain said in his letter, which he sent Thursday.

Anonymous has been targeting agencies that are involved in national security work for the federal government, marking Booz Allen Hamilton and IRC Federal as the latest casualties. In the letter addressed to the senate leaders, McCain cited a number of reasons for the formation of the specialized committee, not to mention the overlapping bodies and legislative proposals that tackle the recent breaches.

“As you know, cyber security legislation has been drafted by at least three committees and at least seven committees claim some jurisdiction over the issue. The White House put forward a legislative proposal in May and the Department of Energy put forth requirements and responsibilities for a cyber security program that same month. Earlier this month, the Department of Commerce sought comment on its proposal to establish voluntary codes of behavior to improve cyber security and the Department of Defense issued its strategy for operating in cyberspace. With so many agencies and the White House moving forward with cyber security proposals, we must provide congressional leadership on this pressing issue of national security,” McCain wrote in the letter.

Wikileaks, Lulzsec, Anonymous and the like are perhaps what one would call necessary evils. If it weren’t for their anti-corporate turned anti-government sentiments, organizations and government sectors will continue to slack off when it comes to online security. Lulzsec, being the initiator of the recent primitive intrusion methods (SQL injection), are also behind the hacking of BethesdaySoftworks and even leaked 17,000 emails and passwords before their valediction.