Vol. 11, No. 4, Page 4

software industry, and to ensure software

could not be copied without the permission of

the developer. Since then a number of countries, including our major trading partners,

have extended copyright, or passed a copyright-style law to protect computer

programs. However, some technical issues and difficulties with the 1984 amendments

have arisen. As well, some countries have

modified copyright to better suit the law to

computer programs. It is clear that software

creators need a strong anti-copying law to

protect their investments”.

LEGISLATION TO PROTECT CHIPS

The Australian Government has

introduced a Bill to protect computer chip designs against unfair copying. The Circuits

Layouts Bill 1988 automatically grants to makers of original chip layouts the exclusive

rights to copy a layout; to make an integrated circuit which is a three dimensional copy of the

layout; and for commercial purposes to import,

sell or otherwise distribute a layout or an

integrated circuit incorporating the layout. The

Bill replaces earlier legislation for the

protection of chip layouts. The Minister

responsible said that the Bill was essential if

Australia was to obtain permanent protection

for its chip designs in the vital US and

European export markets.

Specific provisions of the Bill include the duration of rights of the original makers for 10

years after creation of the circuit layout or, if

the layout is commercially exploited within that

time, until the end of 10 years after commercialization. A rights owner - initially

the layout maker or employer - may enforce

rights against an infringer by civil action

claiming damages, account of profits and an injunction. However, copying for private purposes, for research or teaching, or for

evaluation and analysis, are not infringements of rights granted under the Bill. There is also a

statutory licence for acts done for the defence

or security of Australia.

APATHY TO COMPUTER CRIME ‘ASTOUNDING’

According to a consultant on computer crime in Australia, apathy towards the offence

is ‘astounding’ among the managements of some businesses. Phillip Stanley, senior

lecturer in computing science at the University

of New South Wales, told a Sydney seminar of

chartered accountants that the real incidence of computer fraud was rising rapidly,

notwithstanding the low level of reported

cases. Stanley, who has helped police solve

cases of computer fraud, said that much

computer crime in Australia was discovered by accident. And for each case discovered there

would be at least ten cases either

undiscovered or unreported.

Stanley cited two reasons for this

‘astounding’ apathy. Firstly, managements were lulled into a false sense of security by the

low level of reported cases. Secondly, the law

on computer crime in New South Wales was in

a parlous state. The basic flaw was that ‘theft was not applied to information, but only to

‘real’ things like money and possessions. This was a serious anomaly in a technological age

when information on occasions could be more precious than gold.

Frank Rees

SECURITY

ELECTRONIC DATA INTERCHANGE, OPEN NETWORKS AND BUSINESS SECURITY

Electronic Data Interchange, EDI, is information technology giving trading organizations a new capability, and it is

already in widespread use particularly for

national trade in major countries around the

world. It gives recognized benefits in cost

savings and in faster flows of goods and

COMPUTER FRAUD &

SECURITY BULLETIN

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