What is the punishment for unauthorized computer access?

What the Law Says

The Computer Misuse Act makes it a criminal offence to access a computer without authorization — even if no damage or further crime results.

Section 3 of the Computer Misuse Act prohibits accessing a computer or computer system without permission from its owner or controller. This includes using someone else’s login credentials, bypassing security measures, or exploiting vulnerabilities to gain entry — regardless of intent to cause harm.

The law applies whether the computer is located in Singapore or abroad, as long as the offender is in Singapore when committing the act or the computer is used in Singapore.

It does not matter whether data was copied, altered, or deleted — mere unauthorized access is enough to trigger liability.

Statutory Text

3.—(1) Any person who causes a computer to perform any function with intent to secure access to any program or data held in any computer shall be guilty of an offence if — (a) the access so secured is unauthorised; and (b) he knows at the time when he causes the computer to perform the function that such access is unauthorised.

— Computer Misuse Act, s. 3 — Unauthorised access to computer material

What to Do

Sources