Senate hearing set to update anti-hacking law

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee next week plans to hold a hearing focused on updating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), a national anti-hacking law first enacted in 1984 that makes it illegal to access government or financial institution computers without authorization. A White House cybersecurity legislative plan to Congress, released in May, proposed broadening the scope of CFAA and increase penalties under the statute. Witnesses for the hearing are scheduled to include James Baker, associate deputy attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice, and Pablo Martinez, deputy special agent in charge of the Criminal Investigative Division of the U.S. Secret Service. The hearing is planned for 10 a.m. on Aug. 3 and can be viewed online.

More in News

Operators again revive Pushdo botnet, use a popular tactic to stay hidden ...

Botnet operators are using a domain-generation algorithm to conceal their command-and-control center. And once they knew security researchers were on to their tricks, they got even slicker.

Mac spyware discovered on Angolan dissident's computer at Oslo Freedom Forum

Mac spyware discovered on Angolan dissident's computer at ...

Security researchers are studying an apparent new strain of Mac malware that turned up on the computer of a participant at the just-concluded Oslo Freedom Forum, an annual human rights ...

Judge in London sentences LulzSec members

Judge in London sentences LulzSec members

The sentences range from 20 to 32 months, with none of the defendants likely to serve the full time. There has been no formal request to extradite the U.K. men ...