Pennsylvania makes spreading computer viruses criminal

From...

June 1, 2000
Web posted at: 10:55 a.m. EDT (1455 GMT)

by Daniel Keegan

(IDG) -- People who intentionally spread a computer virus face a seven-year prison sentence and a $15,000 fine in Pennsylvania after Governor Tom Ridge signed a new bill into law May 26. The bill also requires that restitution be paid for any damages caused.

The bill, which passed the House and Senate unanimously, makes computer hacking - including denial of service attacks - and the willful spread of a computer virus a crime. It also defines a computer virus for the first time.

	MESSAGE BOARD
Insurgency

Existing law regarding the unlawful use of a computer does not include the introduction of a computer virus as an offense, only the unlawful affects of its introduction.

The bill was written last year when the Melissa virus hit, but was not created in response to it, said Carmine Camillo, legislative advisor for Sen. Jane Earll, the sponsor of the bill. The bill was introduced in the fall.

MORE COMPUTING INTELLIGENCE

IDG.net home page

Civic.com home page

Mitnick schools Feds on Hacking 101

Interpol: Looking for help to fight cybercrime

New weapon bolsters crackers' arsenals

Reviews & in-depth info at IDG.net

E-BusinessWorld

TechInformer

Accessing and damaging a computer or system is a felony of the third degree, facing a seven-year sentence and $15,000 fine. Interfering with a computer, system, or network or giving out a password or other confidential information about a system is a misdemeanor of the first degree, with a maximum penalty of five years and $10,000 fine.

When convicted, the defendant must repay the victim for the cost of repairing or replacing the system infected, lost profit for the period that the system was not usable, and to replace or restore lost or damaged data. Camillo said the level of restitution would be left to the judge.

The bill takes effect at the end of July.

CA releases free antivirus software for home users
May 31, 2000
Computer Associates says new virus can flood e-mail systems
May 29, 2000
FBI warns of dangerous new e-mail virus
May 27, 2000
Outlook patch called overkill
May 23, 2000
Windows' popularity makes it easy target to hackers
May 16, 2000

Feds ask Congress for help in trapping hackers
Network World Fusion
Hacker gets jail time for ISP break-ins
Computerworld Australia
Interpol: Looking for help to fight cybercrime
PC World
Mitnick schools Feds on Hacking 101
Industry Standard
The enemy within
Network World Fusion
Melissa's message: practice protection
Civic.com
New weapon bolsters crackers' arsenals
Computerworld
Web sites consider hacker insurance
PC World

Pa. Attorney General's home page
DOJ Computer Crime Section
CERT hpme page
Glossary of hacker terms
Defcon home page

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.