The UK government, considering increase in the number of global cyber attacks, has decided to turn strict towards hackers whose attack threatens the country’s national security in any manner.
The British government has proposed a new bill that would punish computer hackers with life sentences. Under plans outlined in the in Queen Elizabeth II’s speech at the state opening of Parliament, on Wednesday, hackers who commit serious cyber attacks which result in “loss of life, serious illness or injury or serious damage to national security, or a significant risk thereof” could receive a full life sentence punishment notes The Guardian.
According to the proposed bill, the 1990 Computer Misuse Act will be amended “to ensure sentences for attacks on computer systems fully reflect the damage they cause”.
This means that cyber attacks that cause serious damage to the economy or environment will carry a 14-year prison sentence as against the current prison sentence of 10 years.
The UK’s Minister for Organised Crime, Karen Brady, said ‘Our reliance on computer systems and the degree to which they are interlinked is ever increasing and a major cyber attack on our critical infrastructure would have grave consequences.
“This Bill would ensure that in the event of such a serious attack those responsible would face the justice they deserve.”
The latest move brings the UK government at par with the US government which introduced life sentences for serious hackers’ after the September 11 attack.
Britain has not faced any serious cyber attack yet.
Wow, they should start by locking up GCHQ and other government hackers.Hypocrites.!
only because it may be found out exactly what the government is up to, just as we found out from Snowden about the spying on us! it definitely isn’t because of any harm that may come to the people! we are bottom of the list!
Lock up all the intelligent people that throw light on the govts dirty secrets … Just like Stalin
I assume they will be tried behind closed doors