Computer Misuse Act (1990)

Computer Misuse Act (1990)

The Computer Misuse Act is a law passed by the British government. It was introduced to try to fight the growing threat of hackers and hacking. The law has three parts. In the U.K., it is now a crime to: Access a computer without permission.

As you can see form the picture above the Computer Misuse Act is based of three main principles: -

Unauthorized access to computer programs or data (So basically cracked/stolen versions of products such as games, video editors etc).

Unauthorized access with a further criminal intent (The end goal is to get bank/email address/passwords. Anything of value to you).

Unauthorized modification of computer material (This also is like the one above but is for Trojan Horse users and other virus writing).

Computer misuse offences

1.U                  Unauthorized access to computer material.

(1)                 A person is guilty of an offence if—

(a)he causes a computer to perform any function with intent to secure access to any program or data held in any computer, or to enable any such access to be secured ;

(b)the access he intends to secure , or to enable to be secured, is unauthorized; and

(c)he knows at the time when he causes the computer to perform the function that that is the case.

(2)                 The intent a person has to have to commit an offence under this section need not be                  directed at—

(a)any particular program or data;

(b)a program or data of any particular kind; or

(c)a program or data held in any particular computer.

(3)                 A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a)on summary conviction in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both;

(b)on summary conviction in Scotland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both;

(c)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine or to both.

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Misuse_Act

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/18