Page 18 - CDM-Cyber-Warnings-January-2014

Cyber Security and the Law Cyber security is a rather hot topic lately. MI5 has got in on the act as well as some of the other heavy hitters in the government. There has been a counter-espionage programme that involves cyber security since 1989 called the Security Service Act of 1989. This act is for the protection against such threats as terrorism, espionage and sabotage posed by persons and organisations that are outside of the British Isles. MI5 The work that MI5 does with regards to cyber security falls under this Act under both economic well-being and national security. The national security of the UK benefits from MI5 working to protect organisations in the UK as well as the public from cyber-attacks that can be damaging to both national security and the economy. If there are any hostile hackers found in the UK there are many different statutes that can be utilised in the prosecution. These include: • The Criminal Law Act 1977 which has been used to successfully prosecute offenders who conspire to use computers in unlawful fashions. • The Computer Misuse Act 1990 which was primarily introduced in order to handle such computer related offences as gaining illegal access to networks. • That particular law was then updated with the Police and Justice Act 2006. With the update it now covers offenders who may decide to carry out attacks such as denial of service. There is a 10 year prison sentence included for this one. While the Crown Prosecution Service and the police handle these domestic threats, they collaborate with the MI5 to make sure that any and all threats are eradicated. OCSIA Supported by the Rt. Hon Francis Maude MP, the minister for the Cabinet Office as well as the National Security Council, the Office of Cyber Security & Information Assurance determines what the priorities are in terms of cyberspace security. The unit gives strategic direction as well as coordinates the programme of cyber security for the government all while beefing up both information assurance and cyber security in the UK. + % %! ! & , ! . !( %+ ' "! "#+% ' - + % !& , ! % '& % & %) *"% *