Leave hacker scum to rot, says MP

Porridge for hackers

By John Oates • Get more from this author

Posted in Music and Media, 13th July 2005 11:53 GMT

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Glasgow South MP Tom Harris used a Ten Minute Rule Bill yesterday to push for big increases in maximum sentences for those convicted of hacking and denial of service attacks.

Harris believes existing legislation is out of date and inaccurate and that sentences do not reflect the seriousness of offences.

Harris wants to create a specific offense banning denial of service attacks. He wants to increase the maximum sentence for unauthorised accessing of data from six months to two years. Sentences for "unauthorised modification of data" would be increased from five to ten years.

The bill did pass its first reading but is unlikely to become law. But a Home Office PR told the BBC, here, that a minister would meet Harris soon and there is an intention to increase sentences and clarify the law in regards to denial of service attacks.

Meanwhile British hacker Gary McKinnon is still facing extradition proceedings relating to charges that he hacked into Pentagon machines. McKinnon told the Guardian newspaper he was looking for evidence of extraterrestrial life but could not remember much of what he had seen because he was smoking a lot of cannabis at the time.®