News: MPs limit computer misuse changes in favour of fraud rework
Information Professional · 2004
A committee of MPs has concluded that only limited changes should be made to the Computer Misuse Act - despite the increase in the number of types of attack in the last few years - but has called on the government to bring a new Fraud Act before Parliament as soon as possible to allow the law to be tightened up on areas such as identity fraud, blackmail and theft using the Internet. The All Party Internet Group (APIG) recommended to add a new denial-of-service offence to the Computer Misuse Act and to increase the maximum sentence from six months to two years. Where the police or the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) did not consider offences serious enough to have a high priority, the group said private prosecutions should be encouraged. The group added that a big problem with cybercrime is lack of information about the number and severity of attacks as most companies try to keep the attacks secret.