Computer Misuse Act reform to move forward in National Security Bill

The long-awaited reform of Britain’s outdated Computer Misuse Act of 1990 – which has hamstrung the work of the nation’s cyber security professionals and researchers for years – is to be included in a new National Security Bill.

Announced today by King Charles III in his speech at the State Opening of Parliament, the National Security Bill is chiefly designed to make the UK a harder target for hostile foreign states and other dangerous groups to attack.

It comes partly in response to the 2024 Southport terror attack, and more recent incidents targeting Britain’s Jewish community, and will create offences around creating and disseminating harmful material online, and according to Westminster will close gaps within the nation’s state threats legislation and align it more closely with anti-terror laws.

Ultimately, the stated goal is to enhance the UK’s ability to counter the full spectrum of threats ranged against the UK by enhancing the powers available to law enforcement and the security services.

The government said that by reforming the legal cyber landscape within this, cyber cops will gain updated powers and capabilities to “remain effective in the digital age”.

It intends to create a Cyber Crime Risk Order that can be applied to control the behaviour of cyber criminals, and new abilities to search people believed to be concealing evidence on behalf of suspected offenders.

“It will also unlock the power of cyber security professionals to better enable them to secure computer systems. It will also seek to tackle the pervasive threat to the UK economy and businesses, posed by ruthless cyber criminals,” said the government.

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