Cyber terrorism under the IT Act

Provision. Section 66F of the Information Technology Act, 2000 defines and punishes cyber terrorism. It sits in Chapter XI of the Act, "Offences", headed "Punishment for cyber terrorism".

Elements. Section 66F(1) describes two forms of the offence.

Form A. A person who acts with the aim of threatening India's unity, integrity, security or sovereignty, or of terrorising the people or any part of them, by:

• denying, or causing the denial of, access to a computer resource to someone entitled to use it; or
• trying to break into or access a computer resource without authority, or beyond the access he is allowed; or
• introducing, or causing the introduction of, a computer contaminant;

and who by that conduct causes, or is likely to cause, death or injury to persons or damage to or destruction of property; or disrupts, or knows that it is likely to damage or disrupt, supplies or services essential to the community's life; or adversely affects critical information infrastructure specified under section 70.

Form B. A person who knowingly or intentionally breaks into or accesses a computer resource without authority, or beyond the access he is allowed, and so obtains information, data or a database that is restricted on grounds of State security or foreign relations, or any other restricted information, data or database, believing with reason that what he has obtained may be used to harm India's sovereignty and integrity, State security, India's relations with friendly foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or in connection with contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence, or to benefit any foreign nation or group.

Punishment. Under s. 66F(2), committing cyber terrorism, or conspiring to commit it, is punishable with imprisonment that may extend to imprisonment for life.