Computer Misuse Act 1990

[F13ZAUnauthorised acts causing, or creating risk of, serious damageU.K.

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

(a)the person does any unauthorised act in relation to a computer;

(b)at the time of doing the act the person knows that it is unauthorised;

(c)the act causes, or creates a significant risk of, serious damage of a material kind; and

(d)the person intends by doing the act to cause serious damage of a material kind or is reckless as to whether such damage is caused.

(2)Damage is of a “material kind” for the purposes of this section if it is—

(a)damage to human welfare in any place;

(b)damage to the environment of any place;

(c)damage to the economy of any country; or

(d)damage to the national security of any country.

(3)For the purposes of subsection (2)(a) an act causes damage to human welfare only if it causes—

(a)loss to human life;

(b)human illness or injury;

(c)disruption of a supply of money, food, water, energy or fuel;

(d)disruption of a system of communication;

(e)disruption of facilities for transport; or

(f)disruption of services relating to health.

(4)It is immaterial for the purposes of subsection (2) whether or not an act causing damage—

(a)does so directly;

(b)is the only or main cause of the damage.

(5)In this section—

(a)a reference to doing an act includes a reference to causing an act to be done;

(b)“act” includes a series of acts;

(c)a reference to a country includes a reference to a territory, and to any place in, or part or region of, a country or territory.

(6)A person guilty of an offence under this section is (unless subsection (7) applies) liable, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years, or to a fine, or to both.

(7)Where an offence under this section is committed as a result of an act causing or creating a significant risk of—

(a)serious damage to human welfare of the kind mentioned in subsection (3)(a) or (3)(b), or

(b)serious damage to national security,

a person guilty of the offence is liable, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for life, or to a fine, or to both.]

Textual Amendments