Some legal scholars are suggesting that a Web site vandalized by hacker attacks may itself be legally liable if its customers suffer damages and if the site was negligent in maintaining security. Law professor Margaret Jane Radin of Stanford University predicts: "A court is going to say it is negligent of you not to implement preventative measures if they are reasonably effective and affordable." No reported court decisions have dealt with the issue, but Radin says that lawsuits in the near future are highly likely to be lodged against companies and network providers targeted by "denial of service" attacks. [*The New York Times*, 24 Aug 2001; NewsScan Daily, 27 August 2001 http://partners.nytimes.com/2001/08/24/technology/24CYBERLAW.html]

Back To The Study