EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Earlier this week, Cyber Talk reported on incidents of hacktivism that were taking place in Georgia, to protest controversial cybercrime legislation–state bill 315 (aka SB315). The bill has been waiting to be signed into law. Yesterday, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal vetoed that bill.

Broad in scope, the legislation would have potentially criminalized those who work on the side of good, searching for software bugs and vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by hackers. It also would have allowed organizations to hack back against hackers.

“The fact that the bill had progressed to the governor’s desk had baffled cybersecurity executives, particularly those running bug bounty programs,” reports SC Media. Many in the industry, including Google and Microsoft, have also been vocal about their concerns about the hack-back provision, believing that it would spark abuse and backfire.

Much to the relief of many, Governor Deal vetoed the bill, saying that more discussion is required before moving forward.

Get the full story at SC Media.