Campaign welcomes King’s Speech commitment to update the Computer Misuse Act in National Security Bill

The CyberUp Campaign has welcomed the Government’s commitment to update the Computer Misuse Act, after the King’s Speech confirmed that reform will be included in the proposed National Security Bill.

The King’s Speech has set out plans to update the Computer Misuse Act 1990 as part of the National Security Bill and a wider package of measures to strengthen the UK’s ability to respond to evolving security threats.

The accompanying Government briefing notes state that the Bill will “reform the cyber landscape, including by updating the Computer Misuse Act 1990”, and add that it will “unlock the power of cyber security professionals to better enable them to secure computer systems.”

The Campaign has long argued that the Computer Misuse Act, which was passed in 1990, has failed to keep pace with the realities of modern cyber security work. In its current form, the Act leaves legitimate cyber security professionals, including vulnerability researchers and threat intelligence specialists, exposed to unnecessary legal risk when carrying out good-faith activity that helps identify and prevent cyber threats.

Reacting to the announcement, a spokesperson for the campaign said:

“Today marks a genuine turning point for cyber security in the UK. For years, the Computer Misuse Act (CMA) has left legitimate cyber security professionals and researchers operating under unnecessary legal risk, while hostile actors move faster and with fewer constraints. By including CMA reform in the National Security Bill, the Government has recognised a basic reality: cyber professionals cannot be expected to defend the country with one hand tied behind their backs. The test now is whether the legislation delivers a clear, workable statutory defence for good-faith cyber security activity, including vulnerability research and threat intelligence. We stand ready to work with ministers and Parliament to turn this commitment into a lasting upgrade to the UK’s cyber resilience.”

The Campaign looks forward to engaging with the Home Office, ministers and Parliament as the Bill progresses, to help ensure that reform delivers the legal clarity and protections needed by those working to keep the UK secure.