MISSOURI
TITLE XXXVIII. CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT;
PEACE OFFICERS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS
CHAPTER 569. ROBBERY, ARSON, BURGLARY AND RELATED OFFENSES
569.093. Definitions
As used in sections 569.094 to 569.099 and in section 537.525 the following terms mean:
(1) "Access", to instruct, communicate with, store data in, retrieve or extract data from,
or otherwise make any use of any resources of, a computer, computer system, or computer network;
(2) "Computer", a functional unit that can perform substantial computation, including
numerous arithmetic operations, logic operations, or data processing, without intervention by a human
operator during a run;
(3) "Computer equipment", computers, terminals, data storage devices, and all other
computer hardware associated with a computer system or network;
(4) "Computer network", a complex consisting of two or more interconnected computers
or computer systems;
(5) "Computer program", a set of instructions, statements, or related data that directs or
is intended to direct a computer to perform certain functions;
(6) "Computer software", a set of computer programs, procedures, and associated
documentation pertaining to the operation of a computer system or computer network;
(7) "Computer system", a set of related, connected or unconnected, computer equipment,
data, or software;
(8) "Damage", any alteration, deletion, or destruction of any part of a computer system or
network;
(9) "Data", a representation of information, facts, knowledge, concepts, or instructions
prepared in a formalized or other manner and intended for use in a computer or computer network. Data
may be in any form including, but not limited to, printouts, microfiche, magnetic storage media, punched
cards and as may be stored in the memory of a computer;
(10) "Property", anything of value as defined in subdivision (10) of section 570.010 and
includes, but is not limited to, financial instruments, information, including electronically produced data
and computer software and programs in either machine or human readable form, and any other tangible
or intangible item of value;
(11) "Services", the use of a computer, computer system, or computer network and
includes, but is not limited to, computer time, data processing, and storage or retrieval functions.
569.094. Computer printouts used as evidence, when
In a prosecution under sections 569.095 to 569.099, computer printouts shall be competent
evidence of any computer software, program, or data contained in or taken from a computer, computer
system, or computer network.
569.095. Tampering with computer data, penalties
1. A person commits the crime of tampering with computer data if he knowingly and without
authorization or without reasonable grounds to believe that he has such authorization:
(1) Modifies or destroys data or programs residing or existing internal to a computer,
computer system, or computer network; or
(2) Modifies or destroys data or programs or supporting documentation residing or existing
external to a computer, computer system, or computer network; or
(3) Discloses or takes data, programs, or supporting documentation, residing or existing
internal or external to a computer, computer system, or computer network; or
(4) Discloses or takes a password, identifying code, personal identification number, or other
confidential information about a computer system or network that is intended to or does control assess
to the computer system or network;
(5) Accesses a computer, a computer system, or a computer network, and intentionally
examines information about another person;
(6) Receives, retains, uses, or discloses any data he knows or believes was obtained in
violation of this subsection.
2. Tampering with computer data is a class A misdemeanor, unless the offense is committed for
the purpose of devising or executing any scheme or artifice to defraud or to obtain any property, the value
of which is one hundred fifty dollars or more, in which case tampering with computer data is a class D
felony.
569.097. Tampering with computer equipment, penalties
1. A person commits the crime of tampering with computer equipment if he knowingly and without
authorization or without reasonable grounds to believe that he has such authorization:
(1) Modifies, destroys, damages, or takes equipment or data storage devices used or
intended to be used in a computer, computer system, or computer network; or
(2) Modifies, destroys, damages, or takes any computer, computer system, or computer
network.
2. Tampering with computer equipment is a class A misdemeanor, unless:
(1) The offense is committed for the purpose of executing any scheme or artifice to defraud
or obtain any property, the value of which is one hundred fifty dollars or more, in which case it is a class
D felony; or
(2) The damage to such computer equipment or to the computer, computer system, or
computer network is one hundred fifty dollars or more but less than one thousand dollars, in which case
it is a class D felony; or
(3) The damage to such computer equipment or to the computer, computer system, or
computer network is one thousand dollars or greater, in which case it is a class C felony.
569.099. Tampering with computer users, penalties
1. A person commits the crime of tampering with computer users if he knowingly and without
authorization or without reasonable grounds to believe that he has such authorization:
(1) Accesses or causes to be accessed any computer, computer system, or computer
network; or
(2) Denies or causes the denial of computer system services to an authorized user of such
computer system services, which, in whole or in part, is owned by, under contract to, or operated for, or
on behalf of, or in conjunction with another.
2. The offense of tampering with computer users is a class A misdemeanor unless the offense is
committed for the purpose of devising or executing any scheme or artifice to defraud or to obtain any
property, the value of which is one hundred fifty dollars or more, in which case tampering with computer
users is a class D felony.