Mauritius Computer Misuse Act

// Well, the other day I was reading an article about the Computer Misuse Act and I thought that many of us don’t know what it really means or have not even heard about it. Users are more concerned about getting their work done, and they don’t really care about the consequences which may arise from the misuse of computer.

This Act made it a criminal offence for anyone to access or modify computer-held data or software without authority, or to attempt to do so. It created three specific offences to deal with the problems of hacking, viruses and other nuisances which have plagued computer users. These are:

1. Unauthorised access to computer material (that is, a program or data).
2. Unauthorised access to a computer system with intent to commit or facilitate the commission of a serious crime (criminal intent).
3. Unauthorised modification of computer material.

Fines:

#1. Unauthorised access to computer data

Any person who causes a computer system to perform a function, knowing that the access he intends to secure is unauthorised, shall commit an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding 50,000 rupees and to penal servitude not exceeding 5 years.

#2. Access with intent to commit offences

Any person who causes a computer system to perform any function for the purpose of securing access to any program or data held in any computer system, with intent to commit an offence under any other enactment, shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding 200,000 rupees and to penal servitude for a term not exceeding 20 years.

#3. Unauthorised modification of computer material

Any person who, knowingly does an act which causes an unauthorised modification of data held in any computer system shall, on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding 100,000 rupees and to penal servitude for a term not exceeding 10 years.

#4. Unauthorised disclosure of password

Any person who, knowingly discloses any password, access code, or any other means of gaining access to any program or data held in any computer system for any wrongful gain; for any unlawful purpose; or knowing that it is likely to cause prejudice to any person, shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 50,000 rupees and to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 5 years. Shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 50,000 rupees and to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 5 years.

This was just a brief description of the Mauritius Computer Misuse Act 2003. For more details, please visit the government portal , on gov.mu.

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