Germany has just passed a new law that adds more "anti-hacker" provisions to the German criminal code by tightening up the existing sanctions and prohibiting any unauthorized user from disabling or circumventing computer security measures to access secure data. Manufacturing, programming, installing, or spreading software that can circumvent security measures is verboten, which means that some security scanning tools might become illegal. In addition, denial of service attacks are now explicitly illegal. People convicted under the new law could face ten years in prison and be held liable for monetary damages.
Although the new rules are meant to apply narrowly to hacking, critics are already complaining that they may prevent necessary security and network research. The Chaos Computer Club in Germany said of the decision, "Forbidding this software is about as helpful as forbidding the sale and production of hammers because sometimes they also cause damage." Chaos Computer Club spokesman Andy Mueller Maguhn said that "safety research can [now] take place only in an unacceptable legal gray area." The group is also concerned that the new legislation will make it easier for the police to obtain information by hacking - something that was outlawed by the courts a few months back.
News source: Ars Technica
Although the new rules are meant to apply narrowly to hacking, critics are already complaining that they may prevent necessary security and network research. The Chaos Computer Club in Germany said of the decision, "Forbidding this software is about as helpful as forbidding the sale and production of hammers because sometimes they also cause damage." Chaos Computer Club spokesman Andy Mueller Maguhn said that "safety research can [now] take place only in an unacceptable legal gray area." The group is also concerned that the new legislation will make it easier for the police to obtain information by hacking - something that was outlawed by the courts a few months back.
















Hammers don't smash hard drives: People with hammers smash hard drives.
goddamit...
Glassed Silver:mac
Bit of a double standard if you ask me.
Since it's illegal for anybody to hack a product, the police have more open holes to hack in to... (Since vulns are only found when somebody 'hacks' it in the first place.)
But yes, it shouldn't be legal for the police to do something that the normal 'public' couldn't do. That's a little... Wrong? Police shouldn't be above the law.
Yes, because DoSing a server is so much worse than killing someone by running them over. Corporate whores.
The software should not be illegal but using it to hack illegally should be! e.g using the software to hack your own PCs/networks should be allowed for security checking purposes etc. But the H@x0r morons should start getting what they deserve. PRISON
But today there are many "renowned" hackers even they go to the MS conferences...
Also a whitehat is just a paid for hacking guy, more a mercenary in a defensive post. So a whitehat is indeed a blackhat in disguise.
So, to change the status of ilegal do anything for any real hacker.
But today there are many "renowned" hackers even they go to the MS conferences...
Also a whitehat is just a paid for hacking guy, more a mercenary in a defensive post. So a whitehat is indeed a blackhat in disguise.
So, to change the status of ilegal do anything for any real hacker.
I dont know... a couple of big name hackers got caught recently.... they all get caught in the end.... and when they do they should hang.
Hell if my mum was a hacker I'd shop her and hope she got life!!!
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