The House voted yesterday to increase penalties for computer crimes and make it easier for Internet service providers to disclose dangerous material to government agencies.
The legislation also states that immediate threats to national security should be included among emergency instances where law enforcement can tap into computer communications. It passed 385 to 3.
Many think of cyber-crime as a form of vandalism, but "it can devastate our businesses, economy or national infrastructure," said Rep. Lamar S. Smith (R-Tex.), the chief sponsor. "A mouse can be just as dangerous as a bullet or a bomb."
The bill exempts from civil or criminal liability Internet service providers who disclose communications to government offices in the good-faith belief in the existence of an emergency that poses danger of death or serious physical injury.
Electronic surveillance tools known as "pen registers" and "trap and trace devices" can be used for 48 hours while court authorization is sought, if an immediate threat to national security exists or protected computers are being attacked. Such devices allow law enforcement to find the source or destination of computer communications without capturing the content.
The bill doubles to 20 years' imprisonment the maximum penalty for knowingly attempting to cause serious injury through a cyber-attack.
