Indiana Works to Pass Cyber Crime Bill
We recently discussed the law enforcement’s actions towards cyber criminals, or lack thereof. Understandably, it is difficult to track down cyber criminals overseas. It is also understandable that it may be increasingly difficult due to the effort the hackers put into covering their tracks. However, they are still criminals, and should still be pursued.
Indiana is in the midst of passing a bill focusing on cyber criminals who successfully execute a malware attack. The current law is to charge a hacker with unauthorized access to a computer, which is misdemeanor. Under the new proposed bill, the charge will remain the same; however, it will now carry the weight of a Level 6 felony. Assuming the Senate passes the bill, the charge will be punishable by six months to two and a half years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. If the malware attack locks the computer or files, like a ransomware attack, or causes damages of over $50,000 the charge is changed to a Level 5 felony. According to Bleeping Computer, the Level 5 felony is punishable with one to six years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
It is nice to see another state working towards passing a bill specific for cyber crimes. However, hackers need to be caught before they can be punished, which seems to be the bigger obstacle.
