MPs for tougher sentencing on hackers

Cross-party support for a bill amendment in the House of Commons could see substantial increases of maximum sentences handed out to hackers.

The move could also see other attempts to damage or disable websites as carrying a stronger criminal penalty.

The amendment is being made to the Police and Justice Bill, after campaigning by Tom Harris, MP, and could see hacking a PC carry 10 years in jail.

While the bill has yet to be passed, it underlines that internet crime is being taken more seriously, not least because of the prospects of cyber crime for terrorism.

It’s also worth pointing out that major internet security companies deny that they ever employ illegal hackers, citing them as a liability to work with.