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Maltese nationalists ask not to judge the guys who saved the FreeHour service.
In 2023, four students from Malta — Giorgio Grigolo, Michael Debono, Luke Bjorn Skerry, and Luke Collins — discovered a serious vulnerability in the FreeHour app, created to help students. Instead of ignoring the problem, they decided to act and sent an email to the owner of FreeHour detailing the flaws they found. As a reward for their work, they offered the company to pay them a small amount of money. However, instead of gratitude, the young people faced harsh measures: they were arrested, their apartments were searched and their computer equipment was confiscated.
This case caused a wide public outcry. The management of FreeHour, following legal recommendations, decided to report the incident to the police, considering the actions of the young people a potential threat. For several months after the incident, the company refused to contact them and waited for the results of the investigation. Only after some time, after discussing the situation with the young specialists themselves, it became clear that their intentions were bona fide and aimed solely at improving the security of the application. FreeHour tried to convey to the authorities that the actions of the guys were not malicious, and this fact should have been taken into account when considering the case. However, the company's efforts remained in vain.
Recently, the Nationalist Party of Malta (PN) called on the government to stop persecuting young people. The party expressed concern that the talent of young hackers remains unclaimed, although it could be used for the benefit of the country. In a statement released on Tuesday, PN noted that the lengthy proceedings have plunged the students into a state of legal limbo. And this will definitely weaken their interest in the field of cybersecurity. "We cannot allow fear to stifle innovation," the document says.
PN also pointed out that this case is an indicator of the government's lack of attention to the development of young talents. They noted that hackers could take part in the European cybersecurity competition in Turin. Their absence is a missed opportunity both for young professionals themselves and for Malta as a whole. The party also stressed that the lack of a national cybersecurity policy creates obstacles to the country's development.
The letter was signed by representatives of the party, ministers Ivan J. Bartolo and Bernice Bonello.
Source
In 2023, four students from Malta — Giorgio Grigolo, Michael Debono, Luke Bjorn Skerry, and Luke Collins — discovered a serious vulnerability in the FreeHour app, created to help students. Instead of ignoring the problem, they decided to act and sent an email to the owner of FreeHour detailing the flaws they found. As a reward for their work, they offered the company to pay them a small amount of money. However, instead of gratitude, the young people faced harsh measures: they were arrested, their apartments were searched and their computer equipment was confiscated.
This case caused a wide public outcry. The management of FreeHour, following legal recommendations, decided to report the incident to the police, considering the actions of the young people a potential threat. For several months after the incident, the company refused to contact them and waited for the results of the investigation. Only after some time, after discussing the situation with the young specialists themselves, it became clear that their intentions were bona fide and aimed solely at improving the security of the application. FreeHour tried to convey to the authorities that the actions of the guys were not malicious, and this fact should have been taken into account when considering the case. However, the company's efforts remained in vain.
Recently, the Nationalist Party of Malta (PN) called on the government to stop persecuting young people. The party expressed concern that the talent of young hackers remains unclaimed, although it could be used for the benefit of the country. In a statement released on Tuesday, PN noted that the lengthy proceedings have plunged the students into a state of legal limbo. And this will definitely weaken their interest in the field of cybersecurity. "We cannot allow fear to stifle innovation," the document says.
PN also pointed out that this case is an indicator of the government's lack of attention to the development of young talents. They noted that hackers could take part in the European cybersecurity competition in Turin. Their absence is a missed opportunity both for young professionals themselves and for Malta as a whole. The party also stressed that the lack of a national cybersecurity policy creates obstacles to the country's development.
The letter was signed by representatives of the party, ministers Ivan J. Bartolo and Bernice Bonello.
Source
