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U.K. Outlaws Denial of Service Attacks

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the keep-it-in-your-toolbox dept.

gnaremooz writes "A U.K. law has been passed that makes it an offense to launch denial-of-service attacks. The penalties for violating the new statues are stiff, with sentences increased from 5 to 10 years. The five year penalty was from the 1990 "Computer Misuse Act", which was enacted before the Internet became widespread. The idea of stiffer penalties for DoS attacks are probably something we can all get behind, but the language of the law is frustratingly vague." From the article: "Among the provisions of the Police and Justice Bill 2006, which gained Royal Assent on Wednesday, is a clause that makes it an offense to impair the operation of any computer system. Other clauses prohibit preventing or hindering access to a program or data held on a computer, or impairing the operation of any program or data held on a computer."

4 of 239 comments (clear)

  1. Another law by adpsimpson · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Another law with good intent.

    Another set of wording so vague it's no use against those it's meant to stop.

    Another set of abuses waiting to happen.

    --
    Is crushing a suspect's child's testicles illegal?
    John Yoo: "No, [if] the President thinks he needs to do that."
  2. Hindering Access by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful
    preventing or hindering access to a program or data held on a computer, or impairing the operation of any program or data held on a computer

    This is a pretty good description of DRM! So it's illegal now?

    1. Re:Hindering Access by sumday · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You seem to be forgetting the magnificent powers of wordplay that lawyers posess. You see, DRM isn't restricting access to data... It's securing access to data.

      --
      sudo killall humans
  3. If Slashdotting is outlawed by EnsilZah · · Score: 5, Funny

    Only outlaws will be reading Slashdot?