PN calls for reform after students and lecturer face hacking charges

The Nationalist Party is calling for legal reform to prevent people from being prosecuted for ethical hacking.

In a press statement, the Nationalist Party condemned the government for failing to update Malta’s laws to reflect modern cybersecurity realities.

It argued that while the government swiftly amends legislation to serve its own interests, it has shown no urgency in protecting students and educators from outdated laws that criminalize ethical hacking.

The students and their lecturer were allegedly conducting ethical hacking, a practice aimed at identifying security vulnerabilities before they could be exploited by malicious hackers.

Instead of being recognised for their efforts, they were taken to court, and their equipment was confiscated.

“When the case first emerged, the Nationalist Party called on the government to amend the laws to reflect modern-day realities. But because the government kept dragging its feet – since this issue does not affect one of its own – it did nothing. Now, our students and their lecturer are facing the risk of imprisonment,” the statement read.

The Nationalist Party insists that if the government is serious about cybersecurity and education, it must immediately reform laws to ensure that ethical hacking is not treated as a criminal offence. The party said individuals acting in good faith to improve cybersecurity should be protected rather than prosecuted.

The party’s statement concluded with a call for the charges against the students and their lecturer to be dropped, stressing that common sense must prevail. It also urged the government to stop neglecting its duty to protect innocent citizens and take swift action to update legislation in line with modern technological realities.