Name two core offenses defined by the CFAA in the United States.

Name two core offenses defined by the CFAA in the United States.

• A. Unauthorized access to a computer system and exceeding authorized access
• B. Unauthorized access to a computer system and data destruction
• C. Phishing and social engineering
• D. Denial of service against a government site

Answer: (A)

The fundamental idea tested is the two ways the CFAA treats improper computer access: you must not access a computer without permission, and you must not use granted access to reach data or areas beyond what you’re allowed to see or do. Unauthorized access means entering a computer system or accessing protected data when you have no permission at all. Exceeding authorized access means you already have access, but you use it beyond the scope of that permission—for example, using your login to reach files or systems you’re not allowed to access. Together, these describe the two core offenses the statute addresses. That’s why the option pairing both unauthorized access and exceeding authorized access is the best match. Phishing and social engineering are techniques to obtain credentials rather than the offenses themselves, and denial of service or data destruction describe actions or consequences, not the two basic access-based crimes defined by the CFAA (though some CFAA charges can involve damages or service disruption in other contexts).

The fundamental idea tested is the two ways the CFAA treats improper computer access: you must not access a computer without permission, and you must not use granted access to reach data or areas beyond what you’re allowed to see or do.

Unauthorized access means entering a computer system or accessing protected data when you have no permission at all. Exceeding authorized access means you already have access, but you use it beyond the scope of that permission—for example, using your login to reach files or systems you’re not allowed to access. Together, these describe the two core offenses the statute addresses.

That’s why the option pairing both unauthorized access and exceeding authorized access is the best match. Phishing and social engineering are techniques to obtain credentials rather than the offenses themselves, and denial of service or data destruction describe actions or consequences, not the two basic access-based crimes defined by the CFAA (though some CFAA charges can involve damages or service disruption in other contexts).