The Computer Misuse
Act 1990
Deals with misuses of ICT systems
© Folens 2008
Computer Misuse Act 1990
makes it an offence to:
• deliberately plant or transfer viruses
• use ICT equipment for unauthorised
work
• illegally copy computer programs
• hack into a computer system to view
or alter data
• use computers to commit fraud
© Folens 2008
Problems with prosecutions
under the Act
• Need to prove intent, which is difficult.
• Companies are reluctant to bring in the
police owing to possible bad publicity
and loss of business.
© Folens 2008
The three sections of the
Misuse of Computers
Act 1990
Section 1
A person commits an offence if:
• he/she causes a computer to perform any
function to secure access to any program or
data, and
• the access he/she intends is unauthorised,
and
• he/she knows at the time that it is
unauthorised.
© Folens 2008
The three sections of the
Misuse of Computers
Act 1990
Section 2
A person is guilty of an offence under Section 2 if:
• he/she commits an offence under Section 1 with
the intent of committing a further offence such as
fraud or blackmail or they get someone else to
commit the offence.
• Maximum sentence is 5 years imprisonment.
© Folens 2008
The three sections of the
Misuse of Computers
Act 1990
Section 3
Makes it an offence to cause unauthorised
modification of any computer with intent and by
so doing:
• to impair the operation of any computer, or
• to prevent or hinder access to any program, or
• to impair the operation of any program or
reliability of data.
© Folens 2008