In Thursday’s Sitting of the Joint Select Committee for the Cybercrimes Act, members examined the sanctions ethical hackers could face if they access public sites. This could mean a three million dollar fine and three-year prison sentence if a provision in the Cybercrimes Act, 2015, remains.
Ethical hackers who explore and expose vulnerabilities in government computer systems could be found guilty of breaching the Cybercrimes Act. There being no provision in the act for the allowance of ethical hacking, was a moot of discussion among the Joint Select Committee members. Head of Cyber Incident response at the ministry of science, energy, and technology, Lt. Col. Godphey Sterling explains why a penalty should be enforced. Her members supported the recommendation for non-recognition of ethical hackers that was made by the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ).
Member Julian Robinson contends that criminalizing work done by ethical hackers will deny the government the opportunity to create an impenetrable commuter system. However, he believes it should not be criminalized because some persons hack in order to prove that they are experts in what they do without having criminal intent.
Reporter: Jhanielle Powell
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