Know The Latest News And Update About The Cyber Alert In Australia

Cyber and computer-related crimes are increasing by leaps and bounds with the advancement of technology, and it’s getting easier for criminals to get into the personal space of people with just a click. Also, often there are instances when an individual gets wrongly accused of a cyber-offence and gets into unnecessary legalities.

If you have been accused of cybercrime in Perth, approach the top computer Crimes Lawyer Perth WA, to discuss your case and prepare a solid defence along with your lawyer. Now let’s see what is cybercrime and the latest updates on cybercrimes in Australia.

What Is Cybercrime?

In Australia, cybercrime is used to define both:

• crimes directed at computer systems or other information communication technologies (ICTs), and
• crimes where computers and ICTs are a fundamental part of the offence

The internet and advancing technologies have opened new doors of possibilities while also creating an appropriate platform for perpetrators to commit new crimes. The evidence suggests that the count, impact and sophistication of cybercrimes continue to grow and pose serious threats to the public, businesses and governments of Australia.

If you have been charged with a computer-related offence, get in touch with the best computer crimes lawyer who can help you with your case.

Cybercrime Laws

The cybercrime offences are mentioned in the Commonwealth legislation in parts 10.7 and 10.8 under the Criminal Code Act 1995. The offences include the following:

• Computer intrusions
• Unauthorised data modification, including data destruction
• Unauthorised electronic communications impairment, including denying service attacks
• Creation and distribution of harmful and malicious software like computer viruses, malware ransomware, etc.
• Dishonestly securing or dealing with personal financial information.

Each Australian state and territory maintains its own legislated computer-related crimes, quite similar to the Commonwealth legislation and legislation that covers online frauds and other tech-enabled offences.

If you have been accused of cybercrime, you can get legal assistance from criminal defence lawyers and present your defence before the court.

National Plan To Combat Cybercrime

In 2013, the government of Australia published its first National Plan To Combat Cybercrime. The key priorities in the plan were for development and further action, including educating the community, collaboration with industry and enhancing the capability and capacity of the law enforcement agencies. The Home Affairs, along with the relevant Commonwealth agencies, the state and territory governments and other stakeholders, developed the next National Plan To Combat Cybercrime that followed that development of the Cyber Security Strategy 2020.

Report Cyber

On June 30, 2019, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN) system transitioned to the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s ReportCyber. It is an online reporting tool that helps the community report cybercrime offences like scams, hacking, ransomware, identity theft, fraud, and computer system attacks. On submission, the information is referred to the relevant state, federal or law enforcement agency for proper assessment. On ReportCyber, any community member or business is allowed to report a cybercrime.

Think U Know

ThinkUKnow is a partnership between Microsoft, AFP, Commonwealth Bank, Datacom and is delivered in collaboration with the State and Territory police and Neighbourhood Watch Australia.

Applicable Computer Crime Offences

• An individual being pronounced guilty of a computer crime signifies that he /she has tried to secure access to sensitive information on a computer that is otherwise unauthorised. The issue becomes more critical if the information has been misused.
• Generally, such restricted-access computers cannot be operated without passwords. So, an offender is guilty of breaking the law for bypassing the password to access sensitive data.
• If the offender in any way benefited from unlawfully accessing the restricted system or even caused any financial damage to another individual going up to $5,000, the offender is likely to be sentenced to a maximum imprisonment term of ten years.
• If the offender gains some monetary or other benefits from the crime, the imprisonment term will be five years. Under any other circumstance, the punishment is a minimum of two years.
• If the case happens to be heard at a Magistrates’ Court, the offender may get lucky and get away with an imprisonment term of up to twelve months and a substantial fine of $12,000.

You can hire a computer crimes Lawyer Perth to defend you if you have been charged with a computer-related offence.

Summary

Now you have a complete understanding of the cyber and computer-related crimes in Australia. You can approach one of the leading criminal law firms in Perth – Criminal Defence Lawyers Perth to get legal advice on your case of cybercrime.