N.Z. Bill Adds Provision For DoS Attacks, Cracking Tools

Jon Ward excerpts from an article on IDG.net.nz: "The select committee report on the Crimes Amendment (No 6) Bill has proposed two new sections to the bill with significant implications for all web users. The first new section is targeted at denial of service attacks. The second targets the creation, distribution and possession of 'hacking software.'"

Oh well, maybe I'll become a criminal

[Muggins the Mad]

Interesting how the author of the article seems to think that making people keep up with the latest antivirus software is somehow a bad thing. :)

Me, I'm in possession of "hacking tools". Buffer overflow exploits. Encryption breakers. Port scanners, packet sniffers, password crackers, the lot.

I wonder if my employer (a university) will object if I can no longer do valid security research legally any more.

Probably not.

*sigh*

- MugginsM

Re:Oh well, maybe I'll become a criminal

[TangoCharlie]

I'm a little paranoid myself. When I leave my house, I often stop, turnaround, go back an rattle the front door handle in order to make sure I locked it, and then have another quick look at the windows to remake sure I shut them all. This is the sort of testing we all need to make on our houses and cars etc. to help to protect ourselves from attack. We need to be able to do the same thing with our computers. The big problem is: we are not capable of simply "looking" to see if we've left a window open... we actually have to test them... all of them. The only way of doing that is to use the "cracking" tools which are currently available. It's worose than that... I've got (that is, my computer has) windows I didn't even know existed... and still more! To deny users the tools to test thier own computers for open "windows and doors" is to allow CRACKERS free access. The reason that so many worms and virii can spread so easily is because so many people don't check the integrety of thier computer systems.... Instead of trying to block these utilities, governments should be _requiring_ people to have them installed and regularly updated! Perhaps there is a market oportunity for "cracker protection" software, much as there is a market for virus protection? In the meantime, keep up-to-date with anything you can get from SecurityFocus [securityfocus.com].