The government has given its full support to Tom Harris MP’s measures to get tough on cyber-crime. The proposals contained within Tom Harris MP’s Private Member’s Bill to amend the 1990 Computer Misuse Act (CMA) have now been included in the government’s Police and Justice Bill, which was introduced to the House yesterday.
Specifically, these measures will broaden the definition of the section 3 offence to clarify that all means of interference with a computer system are criminalised and ensuring that adequate provision is made to criminalise all forms of denial-of-service attacks. The Police and Justice Bill will also increase the penalty for CMA section 1 (hacking) offences from six months to five years and will increase the penalty for CMA section 3 offences from 5 years to 10 years. The Bill will also add a new offence relating to supplying articles (e.g. hacking tools) for committing CMA offences.
Commenting on this important development Tom Harris MP said:
This is excellent news. By including the measures of my Private Member’s Bill in the Police and Justice Bill the government has sent out a powerful message that cyber-crime will not be tolerated. Updating the Computer Misuse Act (1990) is an important and crucial step in meeting the challenge posed by cyber-crime, which is costing this country billons of pounds a year.
In the past it has proven difficult to convict perpetrators of denial of service attacks because of a lack of clarity in the law. This will no longer be the case when the Bill is enacted. By increasing the tariff on these crimes, a message will also be sent to the courts and to the Public Prosecution Service that these crimes must be taken seriously and that where appropriate, custodial sentences must be applied.
I look forward to this Bill reaching the Statute book and ask my colleagues on both sides of the House to support these important measures.
ENDS
Note to editors:
The Police and Justice Bill was published yesterday and can be viewed at: http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmbills/119/2006119.htm
The Explanatory Notes can be accessed at: >http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmbills/119/en/06119x--.htm
The relevant clauses in the Police and Justice Bill are 33 to 36.
The Police and Justice Bill is likely to have its Second Reading in the week commencing 6 February and should hopefully reach the Statute book in the autumn.
These measures are based on the recommendations of the All-Party Internet Group, which carried out a through review of the Computer Misuse Act in 2004. Their findings can be viewed at: www.apig.org.uk