Computer Misuse Act 1990 (c. 18) Document Generated: 2022-03-08 Changes to legislation: Computer Misuse Act 1990 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 08 March 2022. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details) View outstanding changes (c) 3 on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine or to both.] Textual Amendments F5 F6 S. 2(5) substituted (1.10.2007 for S. and 1.10.2008 otherwise) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), ss. 52, 53, Sch. 14 para. 17 (with s. 38(6)); S.S.I. 2007/434, art. 2; S.I. 2008/2503, art. 2(c) Word in s. 2(5)(b) substituted (3.5.2015) by Serious Crime Act 2015 (c. 9), s. 88(1), Sch. 4 para. 7(b); S.I. 2015/820, reg. 2(r)(iii) Marginal Citations M1 [F73 1980 c. 43. Unauthorised acts with intent to impair, or with recklessness as to impairing, operation of computer, etc. (1) A person is guilty of an offence if— (a) he does any unauthorised act in relation to a computer; (b) at the time when he does the act he knows that it is unauthorised; and (c) either subsection (2) or subsection (3) below applies. (2) This subsection applies if the person intends by doing the act— (a) to impair the operation of any computer; (b) to prevent or hinder access to any program or data held in any computer; [F8or] (c) to impair the operation of any such program or the reliability of any such data; [F9or (d) to enable any of the things mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (c) above to be done.]] (3) This subsection applies if the person is reckless as to whether the act will do any of the things mentioned in paragraphs (a) [F10to (d)][F10to (c)] of subsection (2) above. (4) The intention referred to in subsection (2) above, or the recklessness referred to in subsection (3) above, need not relate to— (a) any particular computer; (b) any particular program or data; or (c) a program or data of any particular kind. (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 impairing, preventing or hindering something includes a reference to doing so temporarily. (6) 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 [F1112] months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both;