CDT Sign-on Letter to Patrick Leahy and Charles Grassley on CFAA

The undersigned individuals and organizations from across the philosophical spectrum share a commitment to ensuring our nation’s cybersecurity in a manner consistent with the Bill of Rights and the rule of law. We write today regarding theComputer Fraud and Abuse Act, the subject of a planned Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.  While the CFAA is an important tool in the fight against cybercrime, its language is also both overbroad and vague.  The law can be read to encompass not only the malicious hackers and identity thieves the law was intended to cover, but also users who have not engaged in any activity that can or should be considered a “computer crime.”  Any attempt to update this increasingly outdated 1986 law should start with revisions addressing this structural problem before considering any increase in the penalties for violations.