Lesson 14 CYBER LAW

WHAT IS CYBER LAW

Cyber law refers to any laws relating to protecting the Internet and other online communication technologies.

NEED FOR CYBER LAW

In the recent years,many concerns and issues were raised on the intergrity and security of information,legal status of online transactions,privacy and confidentially of information,intellectual property rights and security of government data placed on the Intenet.

CYBER LAW :

• Security of Government Data
• Intellectual Property Rights
• Privacy and Confidentially of Information
• Legal Status of Online Transactions
• Integrity and Security of Information

These concerns and issues clearly indicate why cyber laws are needed in online activities.

THE CYBER LAW ACTS IN MALAYSIA

The Malaysian Government has already passed several cyber laws to control and reduce the Internet abuse.

These cyber laws included :

• Digital Signature Act 1997
• Computer Crimes Act 1997
• Telemedicine Act 1997
• Communications and Multimedia Act 1998

Beside these cyber laws,there are three other cyber laws being drafted.

• Private Data Protection Bill
• Electronic Government Activities Bill
• Electric Transactions Bill

DIGITAL SIGNATURE ACT 1997

The Digital Signature Act 1997 secures electronic communications especially on the Internet.

Digital Signature is an identify verification standard that uses encryption techniques to protect agains email forgery. The encrypted code consist of the user name and a hash of all the parts of the message.

By attaching the digital signature, one can ensure that nobody can eavesdrop, intercept or temper with transmited data.

COMPUTER CRIME ACT 1997

The computers crimes Act 1997 gives protection agains the misuses of computers and computer criminal activities such as unauthorised use of programmes,illegal transmission of data or messages over computers and hacking and cracking of computer systems and networks.

By implementing the compuetrs Crime Act 1997, users can protect their right to provacy and build trust in the computers system. At the same time, the goverment can have control at a certain level over cyberspace to reduce cyber crime activities.

TELEMEDICINE ACT 1997

The Telemedicine Act 1997 ensure that only qualified medical practitioners can practice telemedicine and that their patients right and interest are protected.

These act provides the future development and delivery of healthcare in Malaysia

COMMUNICATION AND MULTIMEDIA ACT 1998

The implementation of communication and telecommunication act 1998 ensures that information is secure, the network is reliable and the service is affordable all over malaysia.

This act also ensures high level of user's confidence in the information and communication technology industry.