Computer Misuse Act reform to move forward in National Security Bill | Computer Weekly

"The long-awaited reform of Britain's outdated Computer Misuse Act of 1990 - which has hamstrung the work of Britain's cyber security professionals and researchers for years - is to be included in a new National Security Bill."

"It comes partly in response to the 2024 Southport terror attack, and more recent incidents targeting Britain's Jewish community, and will create new offences around creating and disseminating harmful material online, and according to Westminster will close gaps within the nation's state threats legislation and align it more closely with anti-terror laws."

"The government said that by reforming the legal cyber landscape within this, cyber cops will gain updated powers and capabilities to "remain effective in the digital age". It intends to create a Cyber Crime Risk Order that can be applied to control the behaviour of cyber criminals, and new abilities to search people believed to be concealing evidence on behalf of suspected offenders."

""It will also unlock the power of cyber security professionals to better enable them to secure computer systems. It will also seek to tackle the pervasive threat to the UK economy and businesses, posed by ruthless cyber criminals," said the government."

A National Security Bill will be introduced to strengthen the UK against hostile foreign states and dangerous groups. The bill responds partly to the 2024 Southport terror attack and more recent incidents targeting Britain’s Jewish community. It will create new offences for creating and disseminating harmful material online and will close gaps in state-threat legislation by aligning it more closely with anti-terror laws. The goal is to improve the UK’s ability to counter threats across the full spectrum by enhancing powers for law enforcement and security services. Cyber police will gain updated powers to remain effective in the digital age, including a Cyber Crime Risk Order to control cyber criminals’ behavior and new search abilities for people believed to be concealing evidence. The reforms aim to unlock cyber security professionals’ ability to secure computer systems and tackle cyber threats to the economy and businesses.

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