Exploring Cybercrime Legislation: New Laws Affecting Hackers and Security

Everyone is in favour of sending hackers to prison for longer, but technology commentator Bill Thompson wonders if our MPs are competent to make good cyber-laws. If all goes to plan and the fuss over ID cards and school governance does not derail the parliamentary timetable, then we will soon have a new Police and Justice Act.

It makes many changes to the criminal law, but anyone considering writing a virus, hacking a bank system, launching a phishing or denial of service attack or installing some of the dodgier tools that can be used to 'test' network security should pay particular attention to clauses 33 to 36.