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Police drive 'could boost online security'

Australian computer users could benefit from increased internet security after a new law gave police the right to access the hard drives of suspected criminals.

New South Wales Police would be legally entitled to break into a person's home and hack into their computers, possibly using spyware software, without their knowledge over a three-year period, reported ABC News.

This type of covert search warrant, which requires approval from a Supreme Court judge, might serve to improve unlawful activity being conducted via the internet.

However, Australian Council for Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman told the news provider that he fears the police could have the power to abuse the law by being able to plant evidence.

The development comes after the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EEF) set up a website designed to advice people on legal solutions to defend data on their computers from being accessed by the government.

EEF was named as the Guardian's civil liberties hero of the week today.

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