Germany
has just tightened up its criminal code to make hacking into computer
networks a more serious crime. It defines hacking as penetrating a computer
security system and gaining access to secure data, without necessarily stealing
data. Offenders are defined as any individual or group that intentionally
creates, spreads or purchases hacker tools designed for illegal purposes. They
could face up to 10 years in prison for major offenses. Other punishable
cybercrimes include DOS (denial-of-service) attacks and computer sabotage
attacks on individuals, which would extend the existing law that limited
sabotage to businesses and public authorities. The new law, however, has drawn
criticism by several groups, including the hacker club Chaos Computer Club e.V.,
which points to the work of "good" hackers, also known as "white hats," who work
for security companies. These computer experts, the club argues, could be
restricted in their ability to help software makers develop secure products and
businesses to deploy them.