China is taking decisive action against computer hacking with a new law set to govern the sentencing of hackers and other internet offenders. This initiative, announced by the Ministry of Public Security, aims to enhance cybersecurity in response to the growing threat of cybercrime.
Lawmakers are currently working on judicial interpretations of these new regulations. Gu Jian, deputy director of the Ministry's Network Security Protection Bureau, stated that these rules are expected to be released by the end of the year.
This development represents China's latest effort to strengthen security against cybercrime. Since 2004, more than 1.64 million online offenses have been reported to China's Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center. Although 80% of these cases involve online pornography and scams, hacking incidents are on the rise.
Gu noted that eight out of ten computers with internet access in China are now suffering from "botnet attacks." In these attacks, hackers use malicious software to invade and remotely control other computers, often to forward spam or viruses. Most of these hackers operate through computer networks registered abroad.
China first addressed computer crimes in its Criminal Law in 1997.
