FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          AG
THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 1995                            (202) 616-2777
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

                                 
               ADMINISTRATION, CONGRESS INTRODUCE
                 NEW COMPUTER CRIME LEGISLATION

     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Attorney General Janet Reno today
announced that the Clinton Administration, along with Senators John
Kyl, Patrick Leahy, and Charles Grassley has introduced legislation
dramatically increasing federal protections of data
confidentiality.  Current law protects the confidentiality of
financial information.  Today's legislation would protect all
government data against access without permission, as well as
criminalizing access by government employees who exceed their
authority to gain access to government data.
     "As technology advances, computer crime has grown," said Reno. 
"We have to ensure that the law keeps up with changing times."
     With the phenomenal growth of legitimate computer use has come
a similar growth in computer crime and the problem of "hackers" who
break into computer networks without authority to steal information
or damage computer systems.  In addition to penetrating telephone
networks to disrupt phone service and wiretap calls, many hackers
attack government and private computers to steal valuable 
                              (MORE)
information. 
     According to the Computer Emergency Response Team at Carnegie
Mellon University, during the past four years, the number of
reported intrusions on the Internet has increased 498 percent, and
the number of computer sites affected has increased 702 percent.
     "Computer crime is fast becoming everyone's problem," said
Reno.  "I'm encouraged that this bill is off to a bipartisan start,
and I hope Congress will move quickly to enact it."
     The new Act provides three new tools to address this problem: 
þ    More computers would be protected by federal law.  Under the
     new law, a "protected computer" would be defined as any
     government computer, financial institution computer, or any
     other computer used in interstate or foreign commerce or
     communications.  Under current law, computers are not
     adequately protected from foreign hackers, and no federal
     jurisdiction can be obtained when the hacker's and the
     victim's computers are located in the same state.

þ    Under the new law, all government data would be protected, and
     the federal government could prosecute individuals who access
     government data for their own use.  Additionally, private data
     would be protected when hackers steal information from
     computers located across state or national borders. Currently,
     only financial data and classified information are strictly
     protected from improper access.

þ    The integrity and availability of data would be better
     protected under the new law because it ensures that all
     hackers are punished adequately.  Current law provides
     penalties for intentional damage, but hackers who recklessly
     or accidently damage information or systems face little or no
     penalties. 

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