Computer Misuse Act 1990

The Computer Misuse Act (CMA) became law in the UK in 1990.
Amendments to the Act have strengthened the legislation in an attempt to keep up with cybercriminals. In 2015, the maximum penalty was raised from 10 years to 14 years for hacking causing serious damage, and to life imprisonment in cases where human welfare or national security is affected

Attempts to break into a computer system are illegal, even if they are not successful, and the penalty goes up if hacking is accompanied by other offences, such as fraud or extortion. Virus writing is illegal, even if you write the virus for another person and do not release it yourself.

In this video, we look at the history of the Computer Misuse Act 1990, showing how new laws are created in response to new technologies, or new uses of technologies. The offences covered in the Act are also discussed, as well as the wider impact this legislation has on society.