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New Law Authorizes Use of PA National Guard to Police Cybercrime

New Law Authorizes Use of PA National Guard to Police Cybercrime

Pennsylvania lawmakers continue finding new ways to ramp up their fight against cybercrimes. A law authorizes the governor to mobilize two specialized units of the Pennsylvania National Guard to support state and local governments in need of cybersecurity support and training. As a result of these initiatives, more people will likely be exposed to prosecution for computer-related crimes, which in turn will create the need for strong and specialized legal defenses.

The two units — the Pennsylvania Army National Guard Defensive Cyber Operations and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard 112th Cyberspace Operations Squadron — can be ordered to perform the following duties when requested:

  • Provide functional support for cybersecurity needs
  • Provide cybersecurity training to state agencies
  • Provide education and training to non-government entities
  • Assist state and local entities and non-governmental entities with incident response

The new law, signed July 7 by Gov. Tom Wolf, follows on the heels of at least two recent incidents that affected government agencies. Earlier in 2022, the state Department of Labor and Industry revealed that hackers had compromised their system and were intercepting Pennsylvanians’ unemployment compensation and routing it into fraudulent accounts. In 2017, the entire computer system of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party was hacked and held for ransom.

If this new law works as intended, then there will be better communication among the various agencies involved in policing cybercrime. That is likely to mean more people will be charged with computer crimes and cybercrimes, such as:

  • Unlawful use of computers
  • Disruption of service
  • Computer theft
  • Computer trespass
  • Distributing viruses and malware
  • Phishing
  • Online child pornography
  • Online harassment or stalking
  • Cyberbullying

It is now more important than ever that you find a highly qualified defense attorney to help you battle any cybercrime charges. The combined power of state and local law enforcement plus the resources of the National Guard put anyone accused of cybercrime in a precarious position. It will take a seasoned attorney to address the situation and develop any available defenses.

At the Law Offices of David Jay Glassman in Philadelphia, we’ll review your case and mount the defenses that best fit your situation. For example, you may have been falsely accused, law enforcement may have conducted an illegal search of your computer or you may not have had any intent to commit a crime or knowledge that illegal material was on your device. To speak with our cybercrime defense lawyer, call 215-563-7100 or contact us online and we will respond promptly.