Safety Net on the way
Safety Net on the way
A CYBER law to protect Bahrain's web users from hackers who create viruses, steal vital information and pose a threat to the economy is on the way.
Central Informatics Organisation (CIO) acting president Shaikh Ahmed bin Ateyatalla Al Khalifa told the GDN new powers to prosecute those responsible for cyber crimes were in the pipeline.
The news comes only a week after a computer security expert warned that Bahrain's businesses and private Internet users were at risk of losing vital data without strict legislation to protect them.
Ethical hacker Ahmed Aldoseri, chief executive officer of Innovate IT, which provides consultancy services and training to local and international customers, said a lack of legislation was putting the financial industry and other sectors at risk.
His comments were backed up by Bahrain Internet Society board member Waheed Al Balushi, who said there was a loophole in the law in this area across the Arab World.
"We have a cyber law that we have drafted over the last one-and-a-half years, working very closely with the Ministry of Interior," Shaikh Ahmed said.
"It is there and I understand it is going through parliament. ยบ"What we have done is create a cyber law for the Internet, computers and so on.
"We have covered everything in it - viruses and hacking. This is a specific cyber law which is different from other countries where they have created a modified criminal law.
"Parliament already has a draft proposal on the same matter and what we have done is take the draft they made so we can merge it with ours into one law."
The full details of the law will be released later, but Shaikh Ahmed said the CIO and Interior Ministry had studied legislation in the US, UK and Malaysia among other countries before writing the draft proposal.
He believes a specific law on the matter is vital for the success of the economy.
"This is the most important thing because with e-government everything now is done electronically so this is essential to the success of our government," he said.
"Everybody wants it and with Bahrain as a financial and commercial centre this is one of the most important laws that has to be on the ground."
Shaikh Ahmed added it was impossible to put a timescale on when the law may be approved or be introduced.
posted by Unknown @ 3:44 AM
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