Government cracks down on cyber crime

[William Knowles <wk () C4I ORG>]

http://www.theage.com.au/breaking/0008/15/A5706-2000Aug15.shtml

Source: AAP|Published: Tuesday August 15, 3:27 PM


SYDNEY: Computer hackers who spread viruses such as the I Love You bug
will face up to 10 years' jail under new laws proposed by the New
South Wales government.

Attorney-General Bob Debus said the government would introduce the
laws later this year to combat cyber crime.

Under the proposal, a maximum penalty of 10 years' jail will be
introduced for people spreading damaging computer viruses.

'Computer crime can of course have disastrous consequences for
business and the wider community,' Mr Debus told parliament.

'It is clearly inadequate to treat computers merely ... as physical
objects when in fact it is the data stored on the computer and the
access to the computer and the use of programs that is the conduit of
criminal behaviour.'

Mr Debus said the recent I Love You bug was estimated to have cost
$6.7 billion worldwide in just five days.

The new laws will also increase penalties for identity theft offences.

Credit card fraud over the Internet will carry a jail term of five
years or more under the proposal.

Updating the Crimes Act will ensure existing indictable offences such
as fraud and forgery apply to computers, Mr Debus said.

The laws will place state legislation in line with national and
international laws.

The government would concentrate on questions of access, modification,
impairment of programs and data and the consequences of those actions,
he said.


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