Tuesday 26th January 2021

Computer Misuse Act 1990

Keywords:

 Brute force
 Dictionary attack
 Hacking

Do Now:

1. People who have data stored about them are called data subjects.
2. Personal data is about an individual who can be identified from that data.
3. Sensitive data is about an individual but could be used to discriminate against them.

Challenge:

In order to ensure that companies cannot share my data I would sign an agreement so that they
can’t share my data without my permission lest they wish to break the law and make themselves
liable to legal actions. However, agreeing to the company’s terms and conditions is nowadays a must
as people cannot use their programs without agreeing to it.

The Computer Misuse Act (1990) was developed to cope with the problems of computer hackers
and viruses.

What is hacking?
Hacking can be defined as a series of steps wherein certain intruders are able to gain access to
critical or private systems which they would not normally have access to but get past that through
employing techniques such as backdoors or other exploits.

Define the term virus.

Code that can damage/steal your stored data.

Computer hackers – Unauthorised user who attempts to or gains access to an information system.

Virus – A virus is a program written to cause mischief or damage to a computer system.

 The Computer Misuse Act has 3 different offences

1. Accessing computer material without permission, eg looking at someone else’s files.
2. Accessing computer material without permission with intent to commit further criminal
offences, eg hacking into the bank’s computer and wanting to increase the amount in your
account.
3. Altering computer data without permission, eg writing a virus to destroy someone else’s
data, or actually changing the money in an account.

 The Computer Misuse Act has 3 different punishments

1. The maximum penalty for the section 1 offence (unauthorised access to computer material)
is two years’ imprisonment and a fine.
2. For a section 2 offence, the maximum penalty is 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine.
3. For a section 3 offence, the maximum penalty is 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine.

Why are fines unlimited?

Depending on the crime – if they gain 1 million then the find could match it
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 Guessing the password to access someone else’s email account could be prosecuted as an
offence of unauthorised access to computer material.

 Brute force
-trial and error – guessing at the correct code (0000) like a PIN number
Changing frequently
Limit attempts
Lockdown for an amount of time

 Dictionary attack
- Working from a set list of words (common passwords, or phrases)
Using random characters, not using obvious words (password, names, colours)
Uncommon words together
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Cyberbullying and Trolling

 How do they happen?

1. One user verbally attacks another user over the internet
2. One user tries to bait another user into getting angry at them by sending rude or insensitive
messages.

 Why do you think they happen?

1. Some people are rude in general and feel as though they have nothing better to do with
their time, so they spend their time being rude to others.
2. Some people find it funny trying to get a rise out of others for their own satisfaction.

 Define both terms

1. Digital divide – the gap between people who have access and don’t have access to tech.
2. Global divide – global division between access and no access to tech and internet.

 Identify and explain 2 possible solutions to these problems

1. Provide access through government – can be expensive
2. Charity – donate the old equipment to less fortunate people - RECYCLE