The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), 18 U.S.C. § 1030, was enacted by Congress in 1986 as an amendment to the Counterfeit Access Device and Abuse Act. While the CFAA is primarily a criminal law, an amendment in 1994 allows civil actions to be brought under the statute. While the CFAA has been amended many times in attempts to make it successfully evolve with the needs of computer users, rulings in two recent Ninth Circuit cases leave many other questions unanswered about the proper interpretation of the law, opening the door for more uncertain litigation, and perhaps the prosecution of individuals that... READ MORE