Brief: License to hack among Singapore’s new cybersecurity proposals

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The news:

• The Singaporean government is considering a new law that would require professional hackers to obtain a license.
• The proposal is part of the Cybersecurity Bill that was published for public comment by the country’s Cyber Security Agency (CSA) earlier this week.
• The bill calls for the introduction of a licensing framework for information technology vendors providing services in areas such as hacking and forensic examination. The draft bill indicates that both companies and individuals providing investigative cybersecurity services will need a license to do so.
• The suggested penalties for failing to obtain the requisite license are a maximum fine of $50,000, a jail term of up to two years, or both.

Why it matters:

• The introduction of such a framework would help lend an air of professionalism and accountability to hacking, which is often viewed solely as a subversive activity. The proposed law may indicate that Singaporean authorities recognize the important role that individuals have to play in shoring up the country’s cyber defenses.
• On the other hand, the proposed regulation is likely to attract some criticism that it is an attempt by the government to surveil the wider hacking community.

Source: Quartz.