EU sets harsher minimum sentences for cyber crime

The Inquirer keeps us up to date about the European Commission's new cyber crime laws. The new commission directive stipulates a minimum two years sentence for cyber crime penalties, and says that instigating, aiding and abetting cyber crime offences can also be penalised. There's also a specific reference to botnet owners, they now face a minimum of three years in jail when a "significant number of systems have been affected by an attack", and a minimum of five years when a botnet causes "serious damage" or is deployed against "critical infrastructure".

Cecilia Malmström, the European Commissioner responsible for Home Affairs said, "I am pleased that formal approval has been reached on new rules concerning the definition of criminal offences and the sanctions in the area of cyber crime. The perpetrators of increasingly sophisticated attacks and the producers of related and malicious software can now be prosecuted, and will face heavier criminal sanctions.

"Member States will also have to quickly respond to urgent requests for help in the case of cyber attacks, hence improving European justice and police cooperation."