Washington’s SRLDF Awards $20,000 To Maltese Student Hackers

The Security Research Legal Defence Fund (SRLDF), a nonprofit organisation based in Washington, has awarded a grant of $20,000 to support three Maltese students facing legal proceedings related to ethical hacking.

The students, from the University of Malta, were arrested after identifying and reporting security flaws in a local student scheduling application.

In 2022, computer science undergraduates Michael Debono, Giorgio Grigolo and Luke Bjorn Scerri, together with lecturer Mark Joseph Vella, discovered several vulnerabilities in the app.

Their findings were shared with developers to enable corrective action. Despite this, the group faced criminal charges under Malta’s Computer Misuse Act, carrying the possibility of fines and prison sentences.

The SRLDF, established in 2023, aims at providing financial support for individuals accused in connection with good-faith security research. The organisation does not offer direct legal representation but funds independent legal counsel to ensure researchers receive proper defence.

Grants are assessed on the basis of financial need, alignment with definitions of good-faith research, and approval by the board.

The Maltese students recently received a presidential pardon and are awaiting a final court date in September.

In a statement, the SRLDF emphasised the importance of safeguarding responsible disclosure to protect digital security.

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