The Council of Europe's latest cybercrime treaty, with the hope of stopping computer criminals, will ban most of the tools that are used to find the security problems in networks, operating systems and Internet applications. This is because the same tools that can be used for good can be used for evil.

http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2647940,00.html

Here is some further background info:

http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/en/projets/cybercrime.htm

with some specific quotes:

Section 1 - Substantive criminal law

Title 1 - Offences against the confidentiality, integrity and availability of computer data and systems

Article 4 - Data Interference

Each Party shall adopt such legislative and other measures as may be necessary to establish as criminal offences under its domestic law when committed intentionally the damaging, deletion, deterioration, alteration (8)or suppression (9) of computer data without right (10).

Article 6 – Illegal Devices

Each Party shall adopt such legislative and other measures as may be necessary to establish as criminal offences under its domestic law when committed intentionally and without right:

the production, sale, procurement for use, import, distribution or otherwise making available of:
a device, including a computer program, designed or adapted [specifically] [primarily] [particularly] for the purpose of committing any of the offences established in accordance with Article 2 – 5;

Now *that* is the dumbest thing ( and scariest ) I've ever heard. carry it to the extreme - if you own a computer you have a tool that could be used to violate security.......etc.

Sometimes I think the people who try to make these laws don't have a clue.

That really cracks me up.
Since telnet.exe can be used for illegal purposes, I suppose it will be banned

And furthermore... A good compiler can be used to produce lots of illegal programs.

Hell, a computer is a tool that can be used for illegal purposes. Ban it.

WHAT AN ABSURD LAW

Gotta ban those evil virus spreading e-mail programs too! LOL

I think they should also ban plastic bags.
They are very bad, because you can use them to suffocate someone.
The screwdriver is also extremely dangerous, not to mention chainsaws and knives,
and you can kill a man with a fork or even with a spoon.
They are all bad, everything should be banned.

In the end, the user is the one who decides what the tool is used for - BAN HIM!