The CFAA: new remedies for employee computer abuse.
Illinois Bar Journal › Vol. 96 Nbr. 3, March 2008
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Summary
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
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The CFAA: new remedies for employee computer abuse.
Headlines reveal that disgruntled or departing employees have inflicted damage to computer infrastructure, erased valuable files, misappropriated trade secrets or other proprietary information, and intentionally infected computer systems with viruses. Such conduct can result in devastating financial losses and significant disruption to a company's overall operations. Recent case law arising under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA or Act) may provide a powerful way to combat these acts of cyber violence.
As originally enacted in 1984, the CFAA was a criminal statute with a narrow scope. (1) It was intended to protect government computers from attacks by "outside" computer hackers. Amendments to the CFAA made in 1996 and 2001 provide civil remedies for damage to any "protected computer," including any "computer used in interstate or foreign commerce or communication" and certain computers located abroad (2) This change, and other additions such as the availability of civil remedies, significantly expanded the reach of the CFAA and...See the full content of this document
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