Outdated Cybercrime Laws Put Security Researchers at Risk

Security researchers in the UK and globally face legal risks due to outdated cybercrime laws that don't differentiate between malicious hacking and responsible vulnerability research. Katharina Sommer, of NCC Group, has been leading a campaign to reform the UK Computer Misuse Act, drawing inspiration from countries like Portugal and Latin American nations that have implemented legal protections for researchers. Her research, based on a ‘CICIC’ framework (conduct, intent, consensus, institution, conditionality), aims to create a more nuanced legal approach that supports ethical security research and improves cybersecurity resilience.