Computer misuse: Meaning of "unauthorised" access to computer data

The offence under s.1 of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 of intentionally securing unauthorised access to data held in a computer is not confined to the activities of outside "hackers", but can be committed by an employee who, although authorised to access certain data from the computer, exceeds the specific terms of that authorisation, holds the House of Lords in R v Bow Street Stipendiary Magistrate ex parte Government of the United States of America 5.8.99 House of Lords. Authority to access one piece of data should not be treated as authority to access other pieces of data of the same kind.