Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5 Criminal Code of 2012. Section 17-52.5

    (720 ILCS 5/17-52.5) (was 720 ILCS 5/16D-5.5)

    Sec. 17-52.5. Unlawful use of encryption.

    (a) For the purpose of this Section:

        "Computer" means an electronic device which performs

    logical, arithmetic, and memory functions by manipulations of electronic or magnetic impulses and includes all equipment related to the computer in a system or network.

        "Computer contaminant" means any data, information,

    image, program, signal, or sound that is designated or has the capability to: (1) contaminate, corrupt, consume, damage, destroy, disrupt, modify, record, or transmit; or (2) cause to be contaminated, corrupted, consumed, damaged, destroyed, disrupted, modified, recorded, or transmitted, any other data, information, image, program, signal, or sound contained in a computer, system, or network without the knowledge or consent of the person who owns the other data, information, image, program, signal, or sound or the computer, system, or network.

        "Computer contaminant" includes, without limitation:

    (1) a virus, worm, or Trojan horse; (2) spyware that tracks computer activity and is capable of recording and transmitting such information to third parties; or (3) any other similar data, information, image, program, signal, or sound that is designed or has the capability to prevent, impede, delay, or disrupt the normal operation or use of any component, device, equipment, system, or network.

        "Encryption" means the use of any protective or

    disruptive measure, including, without limitation, cryptography, enciphering, encoding, or a computer contaminant, to: (1) prevent, impede, delay, or disrupt access to any data, information, image, program, signal, or sound; (2) cause or make any data, information, image, program, signal, or sound unintelligible or unusable; or (3) prevent, impede, delay, or disrupt the normal operation or use of any component, device, equipment, system, or network.

        "Network" means a set of related, remotely connected

    devices and facilities, including more than one system, with the capability to transmit data among any of the devices and facilities. The term includes, without limitation, a local, regional, or global computer network.

        "Program" means an ordered set of data representing

    coded instructions or statements which can be executed by a computer and cause the computer to perform one or more tasks.

        "System" means a set of related equipment, whether or

    not connected, which is used with or for a computer.

    (b) A person shall not knowingly use or attempt to use encryption, directly or indirectly, to:

        (1) commit, facilitate, further, or promote any

    criminal offense;

        (2) aid, assist, or encourage another person to

    commit any criminal offense;

        (3) conceal evidence of the commission of any

    criminal offense; or

        (4) conceal or protect the identity of a person who

    has committed any criminal offense.

    (c) Telecommunications carriers and information service providers are not liable under this Section, except for willful and wanton misconduct, for providing encryption services used by others in violation of this Section.

    (d) Sentence. A person who violates this Section is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, unless the encryption was used or attempted to be used to commit an offense for which a greater penalty is provided by law. If the encryption was used or attempted to be used to commit an offense for which a greater penalty is provided by law, the person shall be punished as prescribed by law for that offense.

    (e) A person who violates this Section commits a criminal offense that is separate and distinct from any other criminal offense and may be prosecuted and convicted under this Section whether or not the person or any other person is or has been prosecuted or convicted for any other criminal offense arising out of the same facts as the violation of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 95-942, eff. 1-1-09; 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

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Last modified: February 18, 2015