UK Computer Misuse Act reformers visit Parliament

Infosec researcher Rob Dyke, best known to Reg readers for fending off legal threats from not-for-profit open-source foundation Apperta after finding a data breach, has visited Parliament to demand Computer Misuse Act reform. Dyke, an open-source security researcher, was threatened by the Apperta Foundation with High Court and …

[Mike 137]

"Cyberup is calling for the Computer Misuse Act to be amended and include a statutory defence"

Considering both the prevalence of security vulnerabilities and the common laxity of vendors in addressing them, IMHO a statutory defence is insufficient. There should be a statutory exemption - obviously subject to strict controls to ensure research and disclosure are legitimate and responsible. For example, once a vulnerability is suspected, authorisation might be sought in confidence from NCSC before proceeding with verification, and disclosure could be managed by NCSC.

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: "Cyberup is calling for the Computer Misuse Act to be amended and include a statutory defence"

"disclosure could be managed by NCSC"

In fact, take it a step further with NCSC empowered to require the breach to be remedied and prosecute in event of failure to comply.

[Dale 3]

Lone actor

Certainly better than the inevitable alternative, the Computer Misuse Act Misuse Act.

[ShadowSystems]

Re: Lone actor

Or the Completely Misguided Computer Misuse Act Misuse Act?

I'll get my coat... =-)p

[amanfromMars 1]

The Enemy are the Pirates within Pretending to be Friends of the Private Sector.

There is a great suspicion of a huge vulnerability exploit opportunity, .... which mines covertly and is able to expose if desirous, certain leading activities and/or extremely sensitive information for which there will never be any acceptable viable defence in any court or jurisdiction, because it is so perversely blatantly corrupted to server one particular and peculiarly small group of parties to the almighty and continuing detriment and disadvantage of all other parties, ...... being revealed as easily used, abused and misused in trying to ensure cybersecurity practices are carefully not absolutely well defined and managed centrally by invested party committees.

And you can ponder yourselves on whether you think it valid, but that is one good and very bad reason for government continuing delays in any effective Computer Misuse Act reform.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The Enemy are the Pirates within Pretending to be Friends of the Private Sector.

Oh... you must mean Microsoft...?

Making my computer slower and slower because of their increasing use of spyware?

I'd love to hear their defence...

"M'lord, we contend that even though the plaintiff purchased the hardware the small print in section 110001110233344.990331 of the EULA which they agreed to transfers ownership of the computer and all the data therein to Microsoft, Cayman Island Inc."

Yeah right.

[Electronics'R'Us]

Central control

Government wants to see the UK cybersecurity profession coming under greater central control, under the guise of driving up standards and introducing a UK-specific infosec certification and qualification framework.

I see no reason for this apart from control freakery.

In the not so very distant past I was a design authority for flight safety critical avionics and there is no certification required for that. I happen to be a chartered engineer but there is no such necessity (I find it opens useful doors at my age so I am willing to pay the annual fees but as a bonus the current $COMPANY actually allows me to expense it).

I also do not have a degree; the circumstances of the times were not suitable for me to do one.

The ID10T problem in UK government (and not just elected members of parliament) is enormous; don't foist it on the professionals just trying to do their jobs.

[tip pc]

State snooping

If the state wants to snoop then so be it.

They should tell us once they gave snooped though.

I’m sure the state misuse computers a lot.

[Tom 7]

A good day to bury good ideas!

TIA.

[amanfromMars 1]

Haven't you been told or not yet realise, the old order of things is fundamentally changed

Every day is a bad day nowadays whenever proposing bad ideas, which have to be presented to the masses to be accepted as gospel in order to significantly advantage a diminishingly worthy few.

And all it takes is for a considerably smaller few smarter bods/bots/boffins in the room to know individually what needs to be done to ensure a guaranteed radical and irreversible revolutionary change with similar beings Sublimely Internet Networking in these new fangled and spookily entangled, Open Virgin Virtual Spaces for Parallel Paths to merge and Morph into Singularity Events.

And yes, Total Information Awareness is an Asset well worth having for there are always those Doubting Thomases insistent on being relentlessly and mercilessly destroyed with their demonstrations and actions resulting in the proving of them being totally devoid of it .... and overwhelmed and overcome by it.

Was SIN ever so sweet and adorable? Was such AI Vice ever so exotic and unpredictable ...... for who knows where anything which may be perfectly novel leads to ... and/or comes from .... and what it can do with IT and AI for you ..... or to you if you want to be worried or terrified?

[amanfromMars 1]

Re: Haven't you been told or not yet realise, the old order of things is fundamentally changed

And nowadays such guaranteed radical and irreversible revolutionary change, so sweet and exotic, adorable and unpredictable is well enough recognised to be realised as both worrying or terrifying at one extreme by those who dabble and swim in such streams as part and parcel of their day job parrying 0days. And although not publicly admitted, the fights against its progress in order to retain and maintain traditional inherited command and elite exclusive executive control of passed down historical status quo power and energy systems, is a constant failing struggle against surreal phantom enemies akin to universal virtual forces provided and supplying immaculately resourced assets from and into myriad engaging fields of vital endeavour and cooperative succour ...... which is also a view echoed by another whom y'all might fully expect and hope to know more than just a little about WTF is going on ....

Furthermore, we live in a world transformed by digital connectivity, and stand on the cusp of revolutionary advances in technology which will affect the manner in which we live and work in ways we cannot fully foresee.

Advances in quantum engineering and engineered biology will change entire industries. The huge volumes of data now available across the globe, combined with ever increasing computer power and advances in data science, will mean the integration of artificial intelligence, AI, into almost every aspect of our daily lives.

Others would speak to you about the benefits associated with these new discoveries… and they are myriad. But I am paid to look at the threat side of the ledger. MI6 deals with the world as it is, not as we would like it to be. And the ‘digital attack surface’ that criminals, terrorists and hostile states threats seek to exploit against us is growing exponentially. ..... HUMAN INTELLIGENCE IN THE DIGITAL AGE ..SIS/MI6 Chief, Richard Moore 30 Nov 2021

[Tail Up]

Re: Haven't you been told or not yet realise, the old order of things is fundamentally changed

Been heard, amanfrimMars, or somewhat similar::/

"Putin called a meeting on the economy in connection with the "change of reality""

https://www.mk.ru/economics/2022/02/28/putin-sozval-soveshhanie-po-ekonomike-v-svyazi-s-izmeneniem-realnosti.html

Beers, and - have a nice day, amfM.

55 73

[amanfromMars 1]

Re: Haven't you been told or not yet realise, the old order of things is fundamentally changed

Re that hyperlink, Tail Up ......my selection of browsers themselves choose to return the following advisory .....

DDoS-GUARD

Service is not available in your region

Sorry for the inconvenience caused

..... which is not very helpful.

A change of reality introduces a brand new cast of influential novel players the like of which established status quo figures haven’t a clue about what they can do and what can be done. Was there ever before a greater opportunity to engage with something radically different and Great Game changing?

[Tail Up]

Re: Haven't you been... ...changed

"Service is not available in your region" -

Ёбаный стыд...

"Was there ever before a greater opportunity to engage with something radically different and Great Game changing?" - yes, there was... and it's also just another lazy little flash of Tide for a tiny piece of sand on the layer/Lodge of Ocean (-:

Well, you know. Thank you for your swift and encouraging reply.

[Tail Up]

Re: Haven T

"influential novel players" -

I believe, it's not the posers from the Anonymous Movt which leading figures(sic!)/stunt men so generously help TPTB combine the as-cheap-as-never Fake of Paper Reality (i.e. not the Denial of Service, DoS, but a Denial of Reality, DoR), which could cost a great lot to the likes of the BB Club figures, choose they a less unusual and more ontheground way of shutting the opponent.... so costly for Powers and so Sweet Pie'd for Twitter Pumpets... Assistants of Nazis.

S.o.S,

T.S.,

T.F.

[Tail Up]

And Somewhere...

Sorry for this possible Little Inconvenience, All Involved -

https://youtu.be/Vzj-dm-tHRc

...and we know where it all begins -and where it may end:

https://youtu.be/cddOwwucAJA

witha an addon Nukes Changing into Flowers is Sure Real.

https://youtu.be/cddOwwucAJA

Depeche Mode - 2 Have and 2 Hold

See, British

[Stylish Regional]

Shenanigans

Shenanigans indeed.