oted as:716A.2 Unauthorized access. A person who knowingly and without authorization accesses a computer, computer system, or computer network commits a simplemisdemeanor.In the Hawaiian state Legislature, house bill 524, House Draft 1, was passed, to update the laws relating to prohibited computer activity, nearly a decade after the laws were created. One of the provisions includes unauthorized computer access in the first degree: when a person knowingly access a computer or system without authorization in order to obtain information for commercial or private gain, to advance any other crime, to take information valued at more than $5,000 or if the information is already protected against unauthorized disclosure. The violation is a Class B felony punishable by up to ten years in prison. Unauthorized computer access in the second degree is classified as a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison, and a third-degree violation is a misdemeanor. In conclusion, computer crime needs to be prevented and halted through increased computer network security measures as well as tougher laws and enforcement of those laws in cyberspace. If new laws and enforcement of those laws are not soon established, along with heightened security measures, the world will have a major catastrophe as a result of computer activity. The world is becoming increasingly dependant on computers, and the crimes committed will have greater and greater impact as the need for computers (or use of) rises. The possible end of the world was narrowly averted, but was caused by a computer crime. The United States defense computer system was broken into, and the opportunity existed for the hacker to declare intercontinental nuclear war; thus leading to death of the human race. Another event like this is likely to occur if laws, enforcement of the laws and security of computers are not beefed up. The greatest creation of all time, the computer, should not lead...
