The British government has for the first time offered an official definition of computer hacking by the security services. In a Home Office “draft equipment interference code of practice” released on Friday, the government defines it as:
Any interference (whether remotely or otherwise) by the intelligence services, or persons acting on their behalf or in their support, with equipment producing electromagnetic, acoustic and other emissions, or information derived from or related to such equipment, which is to be authorised under section 5 of the 1994 [Intelligence Services] Act, in order to do any or all of the following:
a) obtain information from the equipment in pursuit of intelligence requirements;
b) obtain information concerning the ownership, nature and use of the equipment with a view to meeting intelligence requirements;
c) locate and examine, remove, modify or substitute equipment hardware or software which is capable of yielding information of the type described in a) and b);
d) enable and facilitate surveillance activity by means of the equipment.
‘Information’ may include communications content, and communications data as defined in section 21 of the 2000 [Regulation of Investigatory Powers] Act.
