Computer Crime Laws

5 minutes 5 Questions

Computer crime laws are specific legal measures implemented to prevent, investigate, and prosecute activities involving computer systems, networks, and data. They cover a broad range of activities such as unauthorized access, data theft, malware distribution, and hacking. They often differ across d…

Guide: Understanding Computer Crime Laws

Computer Crime Laws are a significant area of study in the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) exam.

What is it: Computer crime laws are a set of laws intended to prevent illegal activities involving computer systems and networks. These may include hacking, unauthorized access, cyber-stalking, etc. They are also responsible for data protection and privacy issues. Various countries have their own distinct laws concerning cybercrime.

Why it is important: As an Information Systems Security professional, understanding these laws is crucial because you will be responsible for ensuring your organization's compliance with these laws. Non-compliance could lead to severe legal penalties and reputation damage.

How it works: These laws work by defining what constitutes a cybercrime, setting penalties for these crimes, and establishing the legal processes for prosecution. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) in the United States and the Computer Misuse Act in the UK are examples of such laws.

Exam Tips - Answering Questions on Computer Crime Laws:
1. Understand the key concepts and terms related to computer crime laws.
2. Be aware of leading computer crime laws in major countries like the US, UK, etc.
3. Practice answering questions on real-life scenarios involving potential legal issues.
4. Remember that in the exam, your understanding of these laws will be evaluated in a practical, application-based setting rather than pure memorization. Pay particular attention to negligence areas, enforcement activities, penalties and preventive measures associated with computer crime laws.

Note that high-level knowledge of these laws is sufficient for the exam. You don't need to be a legal expert, but you do need to know how these laws affect information security.

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Question 1

An employee has been accused of stealing trade secrets from their employer and sharing them with a competitor. Which computer crime law is applicable in this case?

Digital Millennium Copyright Act Computer Fraud and Abuse Act Economic Espionage Act Electronic Communications Privacy Act

Correct Answer: Economic Espionage Act

The Economic Espionage Act focuses on the theft of trade secrets. The other Acts address computer fraud, privacy of electronic communications, copyright infringement, protection of health information, and government information security, respectively.

Question 2

After a data breach at an international company, the breached organization seeks legal action against the attacker in the country where the cybercriminal resides. Which international computer crime treaty could assist in the investigation and prosecution of the attacker?

Berne Convention Budapest Convention Paris Convention Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

Correct Answer: Budapest Convention

The Budapest Convention is the only international treaty focused on computer crimes and cybercrime. The other treaties and conventions address copyright, patents, international crimes, intellectual property, and there is no United Nations Convention on Cyber Security.

Question 3

A company discovers that an employee unintentionally downloaded malware on their work computer, which led to a data breach. Which computer crime law might the company use to pursue the responsible party?

Children's Internet Protection Act Computer Fraud and Abuse Act Digital Millennium Copyright Act Electronic Communications Privacy Act

Correct Answer: Computer Fraud and Abuse Act

The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act is focused on combatting computer crimes, such as unauthorized access, phishing attacks, and malware, whereas the other Acts have specific focuses on privacy, copyright, protecting children, financial reporting, and government information.

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