Maybe we should keep hackers in the clink for YEARS, mulls EU
The EU is pushing through a directive calling for harsher criminal penalties against convicted hackers.
The proposed rules (PDF) set a baseline sentence of two years' imprisonment in cases where hacks are carried out with the intent to cause serious harm, involve circumventing security measures and where no attempt is made to notify website owners or other vulnerable parties about a security breach.
A draft of the paperwork was rubber-stamped last week by the EU Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee ahead of a European Parliament vote on the plans, which is expected to take place in July. Under the new directive, sentences would be increased to a starting point of five years' imprisonment for cases involving attacks against critical infrastructure systems, such as power plants and transport networks.
