Georgia legislators are to change their status of being one of three states without laws regarding hacking. In fact, a hacker could easily look into a person’s computer to seek out passwords. Additionally, this includes sensitive banking information. Currently, these acts would not be seen as a crime in the state of Georgia.
Legislators are trying to make illegal to access a network or computer without the person’s permission. The other two states that without a hacking law are Alaska and Virginia.
Stolen Identity Causes Concern
The need of a hacking law in Georgia was sparked by one of its own state Senators. Bruce Thompson, the bill’s sponsor, had his identity stolen in 2015. The identity theft resulted in tens of thousands of charges under his name. After realizing anyone could be financially ruined due to identity theft, Senator Thompson wanted to take action. Senator Thompson started working on Senate Bill 315.
Proposed Hacking Bill
Under the new law, logging onto another’s computer without that person’s consent would be against the law even if no information was stolen. A person violating the law would be face with a misdemeanor and can be fined up to a $5,000.00. Also, depending on the case, a person can face at least 12 months in jail. However, viewing information on publicly available websites and publicly accessible data would not be against the law.
Critics of the law say this type of law could have issues for some. For instance, employers who conduct personal business on work computers. Security researchers may not want to look into websites for delicate information because under the new Georgia law, it could be seen as a crime. Nonetheless, there is more support for the new law than there is push back against it.
Stay Up to Date With the Law
Security is important for everyone, especially today when breaches seem to be take place daily. If you or someone you know has become a victim of identity theft in Georgia — or has any other question regarding your privacy rights under state law — contact a knowledgeable attorney right away.
