IPA IP 2022 Question 9

A and B, passing the ID and password on and logging in with them — both are acts that Japan’s Act on the Prohibition of Unauthorized Computer Access forbids; creating malware falls under another law.

The Act prohibits unauthorized access itself, logging in over a network with another person’s user ID and password, and the acts that lead up to it: obtaining, providing, storing or phishing for such a code without a justifiable reason.

• •A: giving another person’s ID and password to a third party without a justifiable reason is the prohibited act of facilitating unauthorized access.
• •B: logging in with them over the network to read that person’s mail on the server is unauthorized access itself.
• •C: creating malware is not covered by this Act; making a computer virus without a justifiable reason is a crime under the Penal Code (creating electromagnetic records of unauthorized commands).

Answer (a)

Why not others:

• •(b) — adds C, a Penal Code offence, not one under this Act
• •(c) — gives only B; the Act also prohibits acts that facilitate unauthorized access, such as A
• •(d) — includes C and leaves out A, although handing the ID and password over is itself prohibited

Key rule: The unauthorized access law covers logging in with someone else’s ID and password and the acts around it (obtaining, providing, storing, phishing for them); writing or spreading malware is a crime under the Penal Code.

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