On Monday 28 May 2007 18:46, Pueblo Native wrote: > Fajar Priyanto wrote: > > On Tuesday 29 May 2007 05:20, Thomas Hertweck wrote: > >> Michael S. Dunsavage wrote: > >>> I'm confused. Can someone sum this up for me? I'm from USA. > >> > >> Last Thursday, the German parliament passed a concept that had been > >> proposed by the German government parties. The concept concerns the > >> German criminal code and is meant to tighten laws against cybercrime. > >> > >> According to the new §202c, anybody who prepares a crime by building, > >> supplying, distributing or making available passwords or security codes > >> for data access or typical computer programs whose purpose is to prepare > >> or commit such a crime, can be fined or sent to jail for up to one year. > >> There were other changes concerning §202, but the one mentioned above is > >> the one most criticized. > >> > >> Many people say that it's not possible to distinguish between programs > >> that might be used to prepare a crime and programs that serve to detect > >> vulnerabilities and secure computer systems (I personally agree with > >> that statement). Therefore, §202c could criminalize many tools that are > >> frequently used these days, for instance port scanners etc. There is no > >> clear definition given in §202c and at the end of the day a German court > >> might have to decide in individual cases. The intention of §202c, > >> however, seems to be to criminalize only software that might cause a > >> "damage". > >> > >> In order to become a law, the concept has to pass the German Bundesrat > >> (upper house of the German parliament) as well. This could happen in > >> July. Then the new concept would become a law shortly thereafter. > >> > >> It could affect openSUSE (in Germany) since the distribution of programs > >> that fall into above mentioned category (yet to be clearly defined) is > >> then forbidden. > > > > A knife can be used to kill someone. So, does that mean that we are not > > allowed to have a knife? > > This is so stupid. I can't believe it. > > This is what happens when you let the politicians who have been reading > "Computer security for dummies" try to pass legislation.
You over estimate politicians ability. Since breaking in is illegal then obviously tools used to break in must be illegal too. Given that then I have a garage that has such tools as a hammer, saw, crow bar, pliers et it it which are obviously burglary tools even though I am a construction engineer as was my father. So software is now up to the same level as the the physical world. Possession of tools to do work is a\makes you a criminal. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
