NORTH CAROLINA
CHAPTER 14. CRIMINAL LAW
SUBCHAPTER XI. GENERAL POLICE REGULATIONS
ARTICLE 60. COMPUTER-RELATED CRIME
14-453. Definitions
As used in this Article, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following terms have the
meanings specified:
(1) "Access" means to instruct, communicate with, cause input, cause output, cause data
processing, or otherwise make use of any resources of a computer, computer system, or computer network.
(1a) "Authorization" means having the consent or permission of the owner, or of
the person licensed or authorized by the owner to grant consent or permission to access a computer,
computer system, or computer network in a manner not exceeding the consent or permission.
(2) "Computer" means an internally programmed, automatic device that performs data
processing or telephone switching.
(3) "Computer network" means the interconnection of communication systems with a
computer through remote terminals, or a complex consisting of two or more interconnected computers or
telephone switching equipment.
(4) "Computer program" means an ordered set of data that are coded instructions or
statements that when executed by a computer cause the computer to process data.
(5) "Computer software" means a set of computer programs, procedures and associated
documentation concerned with the operation of a computer, computer system, or computer network.
(6) "Computer system" means at least one computer together with a set of related,
connected, or unconnected peripheral devices.
(6a) "Data" means a representation of information, facts, knowledge, concepts, or
instructions prepared in a formalized or other manner and intended for use in a computer, computer
system, or computer network. Data may be embodied in any form including, but not limited to, computer
printouts, magnetic storage media, and punch cards, or may be stored internally in the memory of a
computer.
(7) "Financial instrument" includes any check, draft, money order, certificate of deposit,
letter of credit, bill of exchange, credit card or marketable security, or any electronic data processing
representation thereof.
(8) "Property" includes financial instruments, information, including electronically processed
or produced data, and computer software and computer programs in either machine or human readable
form, and any other tangible or intangible item of value.
(8a) "Resource" includes peripheral devices, computer software, computer programs,
and data, and means to be a part of a computer, computer system, or computer network.
(9) "Services" includes computer time, data processing and storage functions.
14-454. Accessing computers
(a) It is unlawful to willfully, directly or indirectly, access or cause to be accessed any computer,
computer system, computer network, or any part thereof, for the purpose of:
(1) Devising or executing any scheme or artifice to defraud, unless the object of the scheme
or artifice is to obtain educational testing material, a false educational testing score, or a false academic
or vocational grade, or
(2) Obtaining property or services other than educational testing material, a false
educational testing score, or a false academic or vocational grade for a person, by means of false or
fraudulent pretenses, representations or promises.
A violation of this subsection is a Class G felony if the fraudulent scheme or artifice results in damage
of more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or if the property or services obtained are worth more than
one thousand dollars ($1,000). Any other violation of this subsection is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
(b) Any person who willfully and without authorization, directly or indirectly, accesses or causes
to be accessed any computer, computer system, or computer network for any purpose other than those
set forth in subsection (a) above, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
(c) For the purpose of this section, the term "accessing or causing to be accessed" includes
introducing, directly or indirectly, a computer program (including a self-replicating or a self-propagating
computer program) into a computer, computer system, or computer network.
14-455. Damaging computers, computer systems, computer networks, and resources
(a) It is unlawful to willfully and without authorization alter, damage, or destroy a computer,
computer system, computer network, or any part thereof. A violation of this subsection is a Class G felony
if the damage caused by the alteration, damage, or destruction is more than one thousand dollars ($1,000).
Any other violation of this subsection is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Class 1
(b) This section applies to alteration, damage, or destruction effectuated by introducing, directly
or indirectly, a computer program (including a self-replicating or a self-propagating computer program) into
a computer, computer system, or computer network.
14-456. Denial of computer services to an authorized user
(a) Any person who willfully and without authorization denies or causes the denial of computer,
computer system, or computer network services to an authorized user of the computer, computer system,
or computer network services is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
(b) This section also applies to denial of services effectuated by introducing, directly or indirectly,
a computer program (including a self-replicating or a self-propagating computer program) into a computer,
computer system, or computer network.
14-457. Extortion
Any person who verbally or by a written or printed communication, maliciously threatens to
commit an act described in G.S. 14-455 with the intent to extort money or any pecuniary advantage, or
with the intent to compel any person to do or refrain from doing any act against his will, is guilty of a Class
H felony.