ILCS » Chapter 720 · Act 5
Illinois Compiled Statutes

720 ILCS 5/17-51 (2026)

Computer tampering

✓ current as of May 2026
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(720 ILCS 5/17-51) (was 720 ILCS 5/16D-3)
    Sec. 17-51. Computer tampering.
    (a) A person commits computer tampering when he or she knowingly and without the authorization of a computer's owner or in excess of the authority granted to him or her:
        (1) Accesses or causes to be accessed a computer or
    
any part thereof, a computer network, or a program or data;
        (2) Accesses or causes to be accessed a computer or
    
any part thereof, a computer network, or a program or data, and obtains data or services;
        (3) Accesses or causes to be accessed a computer or
    
any part thereof, a computer network, or a program or data, and damages or destroys the computer or alters, deletes, or removes a computer program or data;
        (4) Inserts or attempts to insert a program into a
    
computer or computer program knowing or having reason to know that such program contains information or commands that will or may:
            (A) damage or destroy that computer, or any other
        
computer subsequently accessing or being accessed by that computer;
            (B) alter, delete, or remove a computer program
        
or data from that computer, or any other computer program or data in a computer subsequently accessing or being accessed by that computer; or
            (C) cause loss to the users of that computer or
        
the users of a computer which accesses or which is accessed by such program; or
        (5) Falsifies or forges electronic mail transmission
    
information or other routing information in any manner in connection with the transmission of unsolicited bulk electronic mail through or into the computer network of an electronic mail service provider or its subscribers.
    (a-5) Distributing software to falsify routing information. It is unlawful for any person knowingly to sell, give, or otherwise distribute or possess with the intent to sell, give, or distribute software which:
        (1) is primarily designed or produced for the purpose
    
of facilitating or enabling the falsification of electronic mail transmission information or other routing information;
        (2) has only a limited commercially significant
    
purpose or use other than to facilitate or enable the falsification of electronic mail transmission information or other routing information; or
        (3) is marketed by that person or another acting in
    
concert with that person with that person's knowledge for use in facilitating or enabling the falsification of electronic mail transmission information or other routing information.
    (a-10) For purposes of subsection (a), accessing a computer network is deemed to be with the authorization of a computer's owner if:
        (1) the owner authorizes patrons, customers, or
    
guests to access the computer network and the person accessing the computer network is an authorized patron, customer, or guest and complies with all terms or conditions for use of the computer network that are imposed by the owner;
        (2) the owner authorizes the public to access the
    
computer network and the person accessing the computer network complies with all terms or conditions for use of the computer network that are imposed by the owner; or
        (3) the person accesses the computer network in
    
compliance with the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (2015).
    (b) Sentence.
        (1) A person who commits computer tampering as set
    
forth in subdivision (a)(1) or (a)(5) or subsection (a-5) of this Section is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
        (2) A person who commits computer tampering as set
    
forth in subdivision (a)(2) of this Section is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and a Class 4 felony for the second or subsequent offense.
        (3) A person who commits computer tampering as set
    
forth in subdivision (a)(3) or (a)(4) of this Section is guilty of a Class 4 felony and a Class 3 felony for the second or subsequent offense.
        (4) If an injury arises from the transmission of
    
unsolicited bulk electronic mail, the injured person, other than an electronic mail service provider, may also recover attorney's fees and costs, and may elect, in lieu of actual damages, to recover the lesser of $10 for each unsolicited bulk electronic mail message transmitted in violation of this Section, or $25,000 per day. The injured person shall not have a cause of action against the electronic mail service provider that merely transmits the unsolicited bulk electronic mail over its computer network.
        (5) If an injury arises from the transmission of
    
unsolicited bulk electronic mail, an injured electronic mail service provider may also recover attorney's fees and costs, and may elect, in lieu of actual damages, to recover the greater of $10 for each unsolicited electronic mail advertisement transmitted in violation of this Section, or $25,000 per day.
        (6) The provisions of this Section shall not be
    
construed to limit any person's right to pursue any additional civil remedy otherwise allowed by law.
    (c) Whoever suffers loss by reason of a violation of subdivision (a)(4) of this Section may, in a civil action against the violator, obtain appropriate relief. In a civil action under this Section, the court may award to the prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and other litigation expenses.
(Source: P.A. 99-775, eff. 8-12-16.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases, 2011–2019 · leading case: Farmers Ins. v. Auto Club Grp., 823 F. Supp. 2d 847 (N.D. Ill. 2011).
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Farmers Ins. v. Auto Club Grp., 823 F. Supp. 2d 847 (N.D. Ill. 2011). · cites it 2× “720 ILCS 5/17-51(a)(2) (previously 720 ILCS 5/16D-3(a)).”
Halperin v. Int'l Web Servs., LLC, 123 F. Supp. 3d 999 (N.D. Ill. 2015). “] 720 ILCS 5/17-51(a)(4) (emphasis added), The statute allows for an award of “reasonable attorney’s fees and other litigation expenses” to the prevailing party in a civil lawsuit.”
Guava LLC v. Comcast Cable Commc'ns, LLC, 2014 IL App (5th) 130091 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). · cites it 3× “§ 1030 (g) (2012)) or section 16D-3(c) of the Illinois Computer Crime Prevention Law (720 ILCS 5/16D-3(c) (West 2010) (now 720 ILCS 5/17-51(c) (West 2012))), the circuit court expressed its belief that these arguments should be addressed if and when a suit is actually filed…”
Fidlar Tech. v. LPS Real Est. Data Solutions, Inc., 82 F. Supp. 3d 844 (C.D. Ill. 2015). · cites it 2× “§ 1030 (g), and under the civil-suit provision the Illinois Computer Crime Prevention Law (“CCPL”), 720 ILCS 5/17-51 (2011). Fidlar also alleged a common law trespass to chattels claim.”
Guava LLC v. Comcast Cable Commc'ns, LLC, 2014 IL App (5th) 130091 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). “§ 1030 (g) (2012)), as well as a claim under section 16D-3(c) of the Illinois Computer Crime Prevention Law (720 ILCS 5/16D-3(c) (West 2010) (now 720 ILCS 5/17-51(c) (West 2012))), it is really attempting to state a claim involving federal copyright law, over which the federal…”
Guava LLC v. Comcast Cable Commc'ns, LLC, 2014 IL App (5th) 130091 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). “§ 1030 (g) (2012)), as well as a claim under section 16D-3(c) of the Illinois Computer Crime Prevention Law (720 ILCS 5/16D-3(c) (West 2010) (now 720 ILCS 5/17-51(c) (West 2012))), it is really attempting to state a claim involving federal copyright law, over which the federal…”
Eclipse Gaming Sys., LLC v. Antonucci (N.D. Ill. 2018). “§ 1030 , the Illinois Computer Crime Prevention Law, 720 ILCS 5/17-51, and various other aspects of state and common law.”
Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. v. Cambium Networks, Inc. (N.D. Ill. 2019). “§ 1030 , the Illinois Computer Crime Prevention Law, 720 ILCS 5/17-51, the Copyright Act, 17 U.”
Guava LLC v. Comcast Cable Commc'ns, LLC, 2014 IL App (5th) 130091 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). “§ 1030 (g) (2012)), as well as a claim under section 16D-3(c) of the Illinois Computer Crime Prevention Law (720 ILCS 5/16D-3(c) (West 2010) (now 720 ILCS 5/17-51(c) (West 2012))), it is really attempting to state a claim involving federal copyright law, over which the federal…”
— 720 ILCS 5/17-51(a)(2) — 1 case
Farmers Ins. v. Auto Club Grp., 823 F. Supp. 2d 847 (N.D. Ill. 2011). “720 ILCS 5/17-51(a)(2) (previously 720 ILCS 5/16D-3(a)).”
— 720 ILCS 5/17-51(a)(4) — 2 cases
Halperin v. Int'l Web Servs., LLC, 123 F. Supp. 3d 999 (N.D. Ill. 2015). “] 720 ILCS 5/17-51(a)(4) (emphasis added), The statute allows for an award of “reasonable attorney’s fees and other litigation expenses” to the prevailing party in a civil lawsuit.”
Fidlar Tech. v. LPS Real Est. Data Solutions, Inc., 82 F. Supp. 3d 844 (C.D. Ill. 2015). “§ 1030 (g), and under the civil-suit provision the Illinois Computer Crime Prevention Law (“CCPL”), 720 ILCS 5/17-51 (2011). Fidlar also alleged a common law trespass to chattels claim.”
— 720 ILCS 5/17-51(c) — 4 cases
Guava LLC v. Comcast Cable Commc'ns, LLC, 2014 IL App (5th) 130091 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). “§ 1030 (g) (2012)) or section 16D-3(c) of the Illinois Computer Crime Prevention Law (720 ILCS 5/16D-3(c) (West 2010) (now 720 ILCS 5/17-51(c) (West 2012))), the circuit court expressed its belief that these arguments should be addressed if and when a suit is actually filed…”
Guava LLC v. Comcast Cable Commc'ns, LLC, 2014 IL App (5th) 130091 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). “§ 1030 (g) (2012)), as well as a claim under section 16D-3(c) of the Illinois Computer Crime Prevention Law (720 ILCS 5/16D-3(c) (West 2010) (now 720 ILCS 5/17-51(c) (West 2012))), it is really attempting to state a claim involving federal copyright law, over which the federal…”
Guava LLC v. Comcast Cable Commc'ns, LLC, 2014 IL App (5th) 130091 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). “§ 1030 (g) (2012)), as well as a claim under section 16D-3(c) of the Illinois Computer Crime Prevention Law (720 ILCS 5/16D-3(c) (West 2010) (now 720 ILCS 5/17-51(c) (West 2012))), it is really attempting to state a claim involving federal copyright law, over which the federal…”
Guava LLC v. Comcast Cable Commc'ns, LLC, 2014 IL App (5th) 130091 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). “§ 1030 (g) (2012)), as well as a claim under section 16D-3(c) of the Illinois Computer Crime Prevention Law (720 ILCS 5/16D-3(c) (West 2010) (now 720 ILCS 5/17-51(c) (West 2012))), it is really attempting to state a claim involving federal copyright law, over which the federal…”
— 720 ILCS 5/17-51(e) — 1 case
Farmers Ins. v. Auto Club Grp., 823 F. Supp. 2d 847 (N.D. Ill. 2011). “720 ILCS 5/17-51(a)(2) (previously 720 ILCS 5/16D-3(a)).”
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