Simon Says – Musings of a Technology CTO

This week (18th December 2009) Jamaica moved its Cyber Crime bill into law making it possible to prosecute hackers and people who use nefarious popups to collect personal data. The Jamaica Observer reports-

The Bill, which was passed with eight amendments, will see persons convicted of breaches facing a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a minimum of two years; or slapped with fines ranging from between $2 million and $5 million.

Previously Jamaica had no definitive legislation for computer related crime, but this new law, The CyberCrime Act of 2009, takes great strides in enabling the efficient prosecution of hackers and IT related criminals.

The Observer highlights the case of 26-year-old computer science student Philpott Martin, who has been hauled before the Courts for allegedly hacking into the system of telecoms giant Digicel and stealing more than $10 million in calling credit. Martin was charged with three counts of simple larceny and one count of conspiracy to defraud due to the lack of cyber crime legislation under which he could be prosecuted.

This new bill aids in the effective prosecution of eCommerce fraud and Lotto scams, which have become rife in Jamaica due to the lack of effective policy.

eCriminals beware, Jamaica is no longer a safe haven for you!