Forwarded From: William Knowles <erehwonat_private> TOKYO (AP) [2.18.99] - Reflecting an increase in the number of personal computer users and the popularity of the Internet, high-technology crimes in Japan rose 58 percent last year, police said Thursday. The National Police Agency said there were 415 cases categorized as high-tech crimes in 1998, compared to 262 in 1997. Computer-related fraud included forging bank account data and reprogramming electromagnetic data. But actually breaking into a computer system is not a crime in Japan. Hackers are virtually free to peep at sensitive data stored in Japanese mainframes unless they destroy or sell any of it. The National Police Agency is preparing a bill that will outlaw unauthorized access into computer systems. The agency is also trying to step up a computer training system for police. There were 32 computer-related crimes reported in 1993, when the agency began taking statistics on high-tech crimes. -o- Subscribe: mail majordomoat_private with "subscribe isn". Today's ISN Sponsor: Internet Security Institute [www.isi-sec.com]
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