Australia has charged a 24-year-old man who allegedly defaced a government website earlier this month and claims to be the leader of LulzSec, a rogue inactive hacking group.

Australian police have charged an unidentified juvenile, who is suspected to be a member of the hacker group Anonymous, on a number of counts related to unauthorized access to computer data.

Scientists at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have developed a prototype laser device capable of detecting tiny traces of explosive vapour, an invention that has the potential to put bomb sniffer dogs out of a job.

While Australian crime legislation has been amended to account for the evolving landscape of cybercrime, gaps remain in the key areas of theft, fraud and trespass, according to University of Technology (UTS) director of Communications Law Centre, Professor Michael Fraser.

It may take a major event, such as the undermining of a big four bank or Australia’s national information infrastructure, until the Australian Government dedicates the resources needed to combat cyber security, according to the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

Cyber criminals have changed tack in their ongoing scam campaign against banks, moving to the use of government agencies to gain the trust of unsuspecting email recipients.