The UK government is mulling life sentences for hackers whose attacks have catastrophic consequences.

The proposal, outlined in the Queen's speech Wednesday, would update the Computer Misuse Act and impose life terms for those convicted of "cyberattacks which result in loss of life, serious illness or injury or serious damage to national security, or a significant risk thereof."

The Guardian said the plan would also increase maximum sentences for industrial espionage from 10 to 14 years.

It's conceivable that a hacker in the US could get a life term, too, although no individual statute carries that penalty. The longest sentence ever given to a hacker in the US was 20 years—Albert Gonzalez was sentenced in 2010 in Boston after being convicted of leading a conspiracy that hijacked more than 90 million credit and debit card numbers from TJX and other retail outlets.