Strengthening Server Security Against DoS Attacks and Legal Liability

Businesses around the world are sitting on a legal powder keg by failing to adequately protect their servers from hacker intrusion. Nick Lockett, ecommerce lawyer at Sidley & Austin, said that sites which were used by hackers to launch distributed denial . . . Businesses around the world are sitting on a legal powder keg by failing to adequately protect their servers from hacker intrusion. Nick Lockett, ecommerce lawyer at Sidley & Austin, said that sites which were used by hackers to launch distributed denial of service (DoS) attacks could be liable for large compensation claims.

Lockett said: "There is a distinct probability that if your site has been hijacked for a denial of service attack, then you could be liable for damages. I would definitely advise clients they have grounds to sue." The warnings follow an appeal from Michael Vatis, director of the National Infrastructure Protection Centre (NIPC) at the FBI, for dot-coms to increase security levels on the web.

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