PN tells government to stop investigating young ethical hackers

The Nationalist Party has called on government to put an end to the prolonged investigation into four young ethical hackers, noting their talent is currently being wasted instead of used properly. 

In 2023, Giorgio Grigolo, Michael Debono, Luke Bjorn Scerri and Luke Collins were scanning through the software of student app, FreeHour, when they found a vulnerability they say could be exploited by malicious hackers.

They emailed their findings to FreeHour’s owner and asked for a reward – or ‘bug bounty’ – for spotting the mistake. But, instead of a payoff, the University of Malta students were arrested, strip-searched and had their computer equipment seized.

In a statement on Tuesday, the PN stated that the prolonged investigation has left the students in a legal limbo, resulting in them second-guessing their enthusiasm for cybersecurity. “We cannot let fear undercut innovation,” the PN said.

The opposition noted that this case is indicative of government’s negligence towards young talent. They mentioned the European Cybersecurity Challenges in Turin as a missed opportunity for the students and Malta.

The PN further took note of the lack of national policy on cybersecurity, which is creating a situation where digital innovation in this sector is not being nurtured. 

“It’s imperative that a comprehensive cybersecurity policy is delivered soon so that young people have the space to develop their skills.” 

The statement was signed by shadow ministers Ivan J Bartolo and Bernice Bonello.