Respond to a cyber attack
- 1 step
UK Act of Parliament
1990
United Kingdom
Computer Misuse Act 1990
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
6 compliance obligations, 4 practical guides across 2 topics · 5 journeys
Penalty landscape
3 of 6 obligations carry imprisonment (10 years). 3 carry different penalties — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 6
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Cyber security fundamentals
- 1 step
Grow your tech business
- 1 step
Run a tech business
- 1 step
PSTI IoT compliance check
- 1 step
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Direct — cites this Act
2 guidesSupporting — topic alignment
2 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 110 duties
- Licensing Act 2003 2003 105 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 97 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 86 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Unauthorised access to computer material.
10 years imprisonment- Gain unauthorised access to computer material Any Person
Unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate commission of further offences.
5 years imprisonment- Unauthorised computer access with intent to facilitate a crime Any Person
Unauthorised acts with intent to impair, or with recklessness as to impairing, operation of computer, etc.
10 years imprisonment- Carry out unauthorised act that impairs computer operation Any Person
Making, supplying or obtaining articles for use in offence under section 1, 3 or 3ZA
2 years imprisonment- Make, supply or obtain tools for computer misuse Any Person
Unauthorised acts causing, or creating risk of, serious damage
life imprisonment- Carry out unauthorised computer act causing serious damage Any Person
Territorial scope of inchoate offences related to offences under this Act.
10 years imprisonment- Conspiracy or attempt to commit computer misuse offences Any Person
Browse 15 other sections — procedural / definitional / commencement
Territorial scope of offences under this Act.
Significant links with domestic jurisdiction.
Territorial scope of inchoate offences related to offences under external law corresponding to offences under sections 1 to 3.
Relevance of external law.
British citizenship immaterial.
Savings
Proceedings for offences under section 1.
Conviction of an offence under section 1 in proceedings for an offence under section 2 or 3.
Proceedings in Scotland.
Search warrants for offences under section 1.
Extradition where Schedule 1 to the Extradition Act 1989 applies.
Application to Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland: search warrants for offences under section 1
Interpretation.
Citation, commencement etc.
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Police Scotland (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- FCA operational resilience guidance (opens in a new tab) from FCA Detailed Guidance
- NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- NCSC incident reporting (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Where to report a cyber incident (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Cyber Essentials scheme: overview (opens in a new tab) Publication
- Cyber security guidance for business (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- ICO personal data breach guidance (opens in a new tab) from ICO Detailed Guidance
- Report suspicious emails websites phishing (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Government department responsible for immigration, security, and law and order. Administers UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), issues sponsor licences for employers hiring …
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Browse legislation
Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.
Regulators
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.