§ 11-52-4.1 - Computer trespass. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 11-52-4.1

   § 11-52-4.1  Computer trespass. – (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to use a computer or computer networkwithout authority and with the intent to:

   (1) Temporarily or permanently remove, halt, or otherwisedisable any computer data, computer programs, or computer software from acomputer or computer network;

   (2) Cause a computer to malfunction regardless of how longthe malfunction persists;

   (3) Alter or erase any computer data, computer programs, orcomputer software;

   (4) Effect the creation or alteration of a financialinstrument or of an electronic transfer of funds;

   (5) Cause physical injury to the property of another;

   (6) Make or cause to be made an unauthorized copy, in anyform, including, but not limited to, any printed or electronic form of computerdata, computer programs, or computer software residing in, communicated by, orproduced by a computer or computer network;

   (7) Forge e-mail header information or other Internet routineinformation for the purpose of sending unsolicited bulk electronic mail throughor into the facilities of an electronic mail service provider or itssubscribers; or

   (8) To sell, give or otherwise distribute or possess with theintent to sell, give or distribute software which is designed to facilitate orenable the forgery of electronic mail header information or other Internetrouting information for the purpose of sending unsolicited bulk electronic mailthrough or into the facilities of an electronic mail service provider or itssubscribers.

   (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to interferewith or prohibit terms or conditions in a contract or license related tocomputers, computer data, computer networks, computer operations, computerprograms, computer services, or computer software or to create any liability byreason of terms or conditions adopted by, or technical measures implemented by,a Rhode Island-based electronic mail service provider to prevent thetransmission of unsolicited bulk electronic mail in violation of this chapter.Whoever violates this section shall be guilty of a felony and shall be subjectto the penalties set forth in § 11-52-2. If the value is five hundreddollars ($500) or less, then the person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor andmay be punishable by imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or by afine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or both.