# Computer Fraud & Abuse Act

## Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (18 USC 1030)

### COMPUTER FRAUD AND ABUSE STATUTE

#### ¤ 1030. Fraud and related activity in connection with computers

(a) Whoever

(1) knowingly accesses a computer without authorization or exceeds authorized access, and by means of such conduct obtains information that has been determined by the United States Government pursuant to an Executive order or statute to require protection against unauthorized disclosure for reasons of national defense or foreign relations, or any restricted data, as defined in paragraph y. of section 11 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, with the intent or reason to believe that such information so obtained is to be used to the injury of the United States, or to the advantage of any foreign nation;

(2) intentionally accesses a computer without authorization or exceeds authorized access, and thereby obtains information contained in a financial record of a financial institution, or of a card issuer as defined in section 1602(n) of title 15, or contained in a file of a consumer reporting agency on a consumer, as such terms are defined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.);

(3) intentionally, without authorization to access any computer of a department or agency of the United States, accesses such a computer of that department or agency that is exclusively for the use of the Government of the United States or, in the case of a computer not exclusively for such use, is used by or for the Government of the United States and such conduct affects the use of the Government's operation of such computer,

(4) knowingly and with intent to defraud, accesses a Federal interest computer without authorization, or exceeds authorized access, and by means of such conduct furthers the intended fraud and obtains anything of value, unless the object of the fraud and the thing obtained consists only of the use of the computer;

shall be punished as provided in subsection (c) of this section.

(5) intentionally accesses a Federal interest computer without authorization, and by means of one or more instances of such conduct alters, damages, or destroys information in any such Federal interest computer, or prevents authorized use of any such computer or information, and thereby

(A) causes loss to one or more others of a value aggregating $1,000 or more during any one year period; or
(B) modifies or impairs, or potentially modifies or impairs, the medical examination, medical diagnosis, medical treatment, or medical care of one or more individuals; or

(6) knowingly and with intent to defraud traffics (as defined in section 1029) in any password or similar information through which a computer may be accessed without authorization, if
(A) such trafficking affects interstate or foreign commerce; or (B) such computer is used by or for the Government of the United States;

(b) Whoever attempts to commit an offense under subsection (a) of this section shall be punished as provided in subsection (c) of this section. (c) The punishment for an offense under subsection (a) or (b) of this section is

(1)(A) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than ten years, or both, in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(1) of this section which does not occur after a conviction for another offense under such subsection, or an attempt to commit an offense punishable under this subparagraph; and

(B) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than twenty years, or both, in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(1) of this section which occurs after a conviction for another offense under such subsection, or an attempt to commit an offense punishable under this subparagraph; and

(2)(A) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(2), (a)(3) or (a)(1) of this section which does not occur after a conviction for another offense under such subsection, or an attempt to commit an offense punishable under this subparagraph; and (B) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than ten years, or both, in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(2), (a)(3) or (a)(6) of this section which occurs after a conviction for another offense under such subsection, or an attempt to commit an offense punishable under this subparagraph; and

(3)(A) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than five years, or both, in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(4) or (a)(5) of this section which does not occur after a conviction for another offense under such subsection, or an attempt to commit an offense punishable under this subparagraph; and

(B) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than ten years, or both, in the case of an offense under subsection (a)(4) or (a)(5) of this section which occurs after a conviction for another offense under such subsection, or an attempt to commit an offense punishable under this subparagraph.

(d) The United States Secret Service shall, in addition to any other agency having such authority, have the authority to investigate offenses under this section. Such authority of the United States Secret Service shall be exercised in accordance with an agreement which shall be entered into by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General.

(e) As used in this section

(1) the term "computer" means an electronic, magnetic, optical, electrochemical, or other high speed data processing device performing logical, arithmetic, or storage functions, and includes any data storage facility or communications facility directly related to or operating in conjunction with such device, but such term does not include an automated typewriter or typesetter, a portable hand held calculator, or other similar device;

(2) the term "federal interest computer" means a computer
(A) exclusively for the use of a financial institution or the United States Government, or, in the case of a computer not exclusively for such use, used by or for a financial institution or the United States Government and the conduct constituting the offense affects the use of the financial institution's operation or the Government's operation of such computer; or (B) which is one of two or more computers used in committing the offense, not all of which are located in the same State;
(3) the term "State" includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any other commonwealth, possession or territory of the United States;

(4) the term "financial institution" means

(A) an institution with deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation;
(B) the Federal Reserve or a member of the Federal Reserve including any Federal Reserve Bank;
(C) a credit union with accounts insured by the National Credit Union Administration;
(D) a member of the Federal home loan bank system and any home loan bank;
(E) any institution of the Farm Credit System under the Farm Credit Act of 1971;
(F) a broker-dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to section 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;
(G) the Securities Investor Protection Corporation;
(H) a branch or agency of a foreign bank (as such terrns are defined in paragraphs (1) and (3) of section l(b) of the International Banking Act of 1978); and
(I) an organization operating under section 25 or section 25(a) of the Federal Reserve Act.

(5) the term "financial record" means information derived from any record held by a financial institution pertaining to a customer's relationship with the financial institution;

(6) the term "exceeds authorized access" means to access a computer with authorization and to use such access to obtain or alter information in the computer that the accesser is not entitled so to obtain or alter; and

(7) the term "department of the United States" means the legislative or judicial branch of the Government or one of the executive departments enumerated in section 101 of title 5.

(f) This section does not prohibit any lawfully authorized investigative, protective, or intelligence activity of a law enforcement agency of the United States, a State, or a political subdivision of a State, or of an intelligence agency of the United States. (Added Pub.L. 98-473, Title II, ¤ 2102(a), Oct. 12,1984,98 Stat. 2190, and amended Pub.L.99-474, ¤ 2, Oct. 16,1986, 100 Stat. 1213; Pub.L. 100-690, Title VII, ¤ 7065 Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4404; Pub.L. 101-73, Titie IX, ¤ 962(aX5), Aug. 9, 1989 103 Stat. 502- Pub.L. 101-647, Title XII, ¤ 1205(e), Titie XXV, ¤ 2597(j), Title XXXV, ¤ 3533, Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 4831, 4910, 4925.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text. Reference to "paragraph y of section 11 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954", referred to in subsec. (a)(1) is classified to section 2014(y) of Title 42, Public Health and Welfare.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is Title VI of Pub.L. 90-321 as added by Pub.L. 91-508, Title VI, Oct. 26, 1970, 84 Stat. 1127, which is classified to subchapter III (¤ 1681 et seq.) of chapter 41 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.

The Farm Credit Act of 1971, referred to in subsec. (e)(4)(E), is Pub.L. 92- 181, Dec. 10, 1971, 85 Stat. 585, as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 23 (section 2001 et seq.) of Title 12, Banks and Banking. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2001 of Title 12 and Tables.

Section 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, referred to in subsec. (e)(4)(F), is classified to section 78O of Title 15 Commerce and Trade. Section i(b) of the International Banking Act of 1978 referred to in subsec. (e)(4)(H), is classified to section 310i of Title 12, Banks and Banking. Section 25 of the Federal Reserve Act, referred to in subsec. (e)(4)(I), is classified to subchapter I (section 601 et seq.) of chapter 6 of Title 12. Section 25(a) of the Federal Resenre Act, referred to in subsec. (e)(4)(I), is classified to subchapter II (seceion 611 et seq.) of chapter 6 of Title 12. Separability of Provisions. If any provision of Pub.L. 101-73 or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of Pub.L. 101-73 and the application of the provision to other persons not similarly situated or to other circumstances not to be affected thereby, see section 1221 of Pub.L. 101-73, set out as a note under section 1811 of Title 12, Banks and Banking.

Reports of Prosecutions. Section 2103 of Pub.L. 98-473, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2192, provided: "The Attorney General shall report to the Congress annually, during the first three years following the date of the enactment of this joint resolution [Oct. 12, 1984], concerning prosecutions under the sections of title 18 of the United States Code added by this chapter."

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