Penalty for Hacking an Email Password

Hacking an e-mail password carries a sentence of at least one year in prison.

The penalty for hacking an e-mail password varies depending on the severity of the crime and the e-mail password that was hacked. Punishments range from $5,000 and one year in prison to more serious punishments.

Definition

In the United States, the hacking of e-mail passwords falls under Title 18, Part 1, Chapter 47, Section 1030 known as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The law defines the crime as "intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization."

Penalties

The penalty for transgressing this law depends on how much damage or loss was connected to the event. If it was a minor offense, the hacker may be charged with a crime that carries not more than one year of jail time, if the accused has never been convicted under this statute before and no damage came as a result of the hacking. Individuals with prior convictions under this statute face up to 10 years in prison.

Considerations

Under certain subsections of this law, individuals may be subjected to a maximum of 20 years in prison if they knowingly cause damage to computers, if they have a history of computer hacking and crime, or if the e-mail password involved is linked to the United States government. In these cases, e-mail password hacking becomes more serious and the penalties much steeper.

References

• US Code: Title 18, Part 1, Chapter 47