Last Tuesday, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime revised the Cyber Security Enhancement Act expanding who can get life imprisonment for a criminal technology offense. It was an 8-0 vote. Previously, it stated that offenders must “knowingly attempt to cause death or serious bodily injury” through electronic means in order to receive life imprisonment. Now if offender “recklessly” puts a person?s life at risk they will receive life imprisonment.
Get the original document here:
http://216.110.42.179/docs/csea.smith.amendment.022602.pdf
So, can this be taken too far? Will our jails fill with IT types who are not threatening to society and yet we as taxpayers will have to pay for the additional expense this entails? Will it makethe internet a safer place? If you do not report a threat such as a dDos attack or virus that is then launched against a hospital which renders someones ability to get proper care and they die is there potential litigation? i.e. will it be considered “reckless” to use a system besides MS or to have an open mail relay in the future?
Is anyone concerned or particularly happy that this was changed? This seems like a major event to our profession and yet it doesn’t seem to exactly be the talk ofthe town….. What do you think?