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18 U.S.C. § 2701 — Unlawful access to stored communications

Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities

18 U.S.C. § 2701 — Unlawful access to stored communications

**(a) Offense.—** Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section whoever— (1) intentionally accesses without authorization a facility through which an electronic communication service is provided; or (2) intentionally exceeds an authorization to access that facility; and thereby obtains, alters, or prevents authorized access to a wire or electronic communication while it is in electronic storage in such system shall be punished as provided in subsection (b) of this section. **(b) Punishment.—** The punishment for an offense under subsection (a) of this section is— (1) if the offense is committed for purposes of commercial advantage, malicious destruction or damage, or private commercial gain, or in furtherance of any criminal or tortious act in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States or any State— (A) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or both, in the case of a first offense under this subparagraph; and (B) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both, for any subsequent offense under this subparagraph; and (2) in any other case— (A) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 1 year or both, in the case of a first offense under this paragraph; and (B) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or both, in the case of an offense under this subparagraph that occurs after a conviction of another offense under this section. **(c) Exceptions.—** Subsection (a) of this section does not apply with respect to conduct authorized— (1) by the person or entity providing a wire or electronic communications service; (2) by a user of that service with respect to a communication of or intended for that user; or (3) in section 2703, 2704 or

Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 18 U.S.C. § 2701

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Stable record: federal_law:legal_authorities:record_usc_7734dd07733e69de3d39747e
Source file: Laws/federal/codes/united-states-code/title-18/section-2701-unlawful-access-to-stored-communications--f328ec3d04.md
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Passage SHA-256: 2844061e70b9f33e8b133b75da490873d758eb2379003cbede3ba93e7d251306

Source location: Title 18, Chapter 121, § 2701; chapter-121-stored-wire-and-electronic-communications-and-transactional-records-access.md

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**(a) Offense.—** Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section whoever— (1) intentionally accesses without authorization a facility through which an electronic communication service is provided; or (2) intentionally exceeds an authorization to access that facility; and thereby obtains, alters, or prevents authorized access to a wire or electronic communication while it is in electronic storage in such system shall be punished as provided in subsection (b) of this section. **(b) Punishment.—** The punishment for an offense under subsection (a) of this section is— (1) if the offense is committed for purposes of commercial advantage, malicious destruction or damage, or private commercial gain, or in furtherance of any criminal or tortious act in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States or any State— (A) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or both, in the case of a first offense under this subparagraph; and (B) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both, for any subsequent offense under this subparagraph; and (2) in any other case— (A) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 1 year or both, in the case of a first offense under this paragraph; and (B) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or both, in the case of an offense under this subparagraph that occurs after a conviction of another offense under this section. **(c) Exceptions.—** Subsection (a) of this section does not apply with respect to conduct authorized— (1) by the person or entity providing a wire or electronic communications service; (2) by a user of that service with respect to a communication of or intended for that user; or (3) in section 2703, 2704 or 2518 of this title.

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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities

18 U.S.C. § 2710 — Wrongful disclosure of video tape rental or sale records

**(a) Definitions.—** For purposes of this section— (1) the term “consumer” means any renter, purchaser, or subscriber of goods or services from a video tape service provider; (2) the term “ordinary course of business” means only debt collection activities, order fulfillment, request processing, and the transfer of ownership; (3) the term “personally identifiable information” includes information which identifies a person as having requested or obtained specific video materials or services from a video tape service provider; and (4) the term “video tape service provider” means any person, engaged in the business, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, of rental, sale, or delivery of prerecorded video cassette tapes or similar audio visual materials, or any person or other entity to whom a disclosure is made under subparagraph (D) or (E) of subsection (b)(2), but only with respect to the information contained in the disclosure. **(b) Video Tape Rental and Sale Records.—** (1) A video tape service provider who knowingly discloses, to any person, personally identifiable information concerning any consumer of such provider shall be liable to the aggrieved person for the relief provided in subsection (d). (2) A video tape service provider may disclose personally identifiable information concerning any consumer— (A) to the consumer; (B) to any person with the informed, written consent (including through an electronic means using the Internet) of the consumer that— (i) is in a form distinct and separate from any form setting forth other legal or financial obligations of the consumer; (ii) at the election of the consumer— (I) is given at the time the disclosure is sought; or (II) is given in advance for a set period of time, not to

Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 18 U.S.C. § 2710

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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities

6 U.S.C. § 101 — Cyber incident review

**(a) Activities** The Center shall— (1) receive, aggregate, analyze, and secure, using processes consistent with the processes developed pursuant to the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 ([6 U.S.C. 1501](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title6-section1501&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.) reports from covered entities related to a covered cyber incident to assess the effectiveness of security controls, identify tactics, techniques, and procedures adversaries use to overcome those controls and other cybersecurity purposes, including to assess potential impact of cyber incidents on public health and safety and to enhance situational awareness of cyber threats across critical infrastructure sectors; (2) coordinate and share information with appropriate Federal departments and agencies to identify and track ransom payments, including those utilizing virtual currencies; (3) leverage information gathered about cyber incidents to— (A) enhance the quality and effectiveness of information sharing and coordination efforts with appropriate entities, including agencies, sector coordinating councils, Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations, State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments, technology providers, critical infrastructure owners and operators, cybersecurity and cyber incident response firms, and security researchers; and (B) provide appropriate entities, including sector coordinating councils, Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations, State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments, technology providers, cybersecurity and cyber incident response firms, and security researchers, with timely, actionable, and anonymized reports of cyber incident campaigns and trends, including, to the maximum extent practicable

Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 6 U.S.C. § 101

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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities

18 U.S.C. § 2702 — Voluntary disclosure of customer communications or records

**(a) Prohibitions.—** Except as provided in subsection (b) or (c)— (1) a person or entity providing an electronic communication service to the public shall not knowingly divulge to any person or entity the contents of a communication while in electronic storage by that service; and (2) a person or entity providing remote computing service to the public shall not knowingly divulge to any person or entity the contents of any communication which is carried or maintained on that service— (A) on behalf of, and received by means of electronic transmission from (or created by means of computer processing of communications received by means of electronic transmission from), a subscriber or customer of such service; (B) solely for the purpose of providing storage or computer processing services to such subscriber or customer, if the provider is not authorized to access the contents of any such communications for purposes of providing any services other than storage or computer processing; and (3) a provider of remote computing service or electronic communication service to the public shall not knowingly divulge a record or other information pertaining to a subscriber to or customer of such service (not including the contents of communications covered by paragraph (1) or (2)) to any governmental entity. **(b) Exceptions for disclosure of communications.—** A provider described in subsection (a) may divulge the contents of a communication— (1) to an addressee or intended recipient of such communication or an agent of such addressee or intended recipient; (2) as otherwise authorized in section 2517, 2511(2)(a), or 2703 of this title; (3) with the lawful consent of the originator or an addressee or intended recipient of such communication, or the subscriber in the case

Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 18 U.S.C. § 2702

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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities

18 U.S.C. § 2703 — Required disclosure of customer communications or records

**(a) Contents of Wire or Electronic Communications in Electronic Storage.—** A governmental entity may require the disclosure by a provider of electronic communication service of the contents of a wire or electronic communication, that is in electronic storage in an electronic communications system for one hundred and eighty days or less, only pursuant to a warrant issued using the procedures described in the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure (or, in the case of a State court, issued using State warrant procedures and, in the case of a court-martial or other proceeding under chapter 47 of title 10 (the Uniform Code of Military Justice), issued under section 846 of that title, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the President) by a court of competent jurisdiction. A governmental entity may require the disclosure by a provider of electronic communications services of the contents of a wire or electronic communication that has been in electronic storage in an electronic communications system for more than one hundred and eighty days by the means available under subsection (b) of this section. **(b) Contents of Wire or Electronic Communications in a Remote Computing Service.—** (1) A governmental entity may require a provider of remote computing service to disclose the contents of any wire or electronic communication to which this paragraph is made applicable by paragraph (2) of this subsection— (A) without required notice to the subscriber or customer, if the governmental entity obtains a warrant issued using the procedures described in the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure (or, in the case of a State court, issued using State warrant procedures and, in the case of a court-martial or other proceeding under chapter 47 of title 10 (the Uniform Code of Mili

Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 18 U.S.C. § 2703

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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities

18 U.S.C. § 2704 — Backup preservation

**(a) Backup Preservation.—** (1) A governmental entity acting under section 2703(b)(2) may include in its subpoena or court order a requirement that the service provider to whom the request is directed create a backup copy of the contents of the electronic communications sought in order to preserve those communications. Without notifying the subscriber or customer of such subpoena or court order, such service provider shall create such backup copy as soon as practicable consistent with its regular business practices and shall confirm to the governmental entity that such backup copy has been made. Such backup copy shall be created within two business days after receipt by the service provider of the subpoena or court order. (2) Notice to the subscriber or customer shall be made by the governmental entity within three days after receipt of such confirmation, unless such notice is delayed pursuant to section 2705(a). (3) The service provider shall not destroy such backup copy until the later of— (A) the delivery of the information; or (B) the resolution of any proceedings (including appeals of any proceeding) concerning the government’s subpoena or court order. (4) The service provider shall release such backup copy to the requesting governmental entity no sooner than fourteen days after the governmental entity’s notice to the subscriber or customer if such service provider— (A) has not received notice from the subscriber or customer that the subscriber or customer has challenged the governmental entity’s request; and (B) has not initiated proceedings to challenge the request of the governmental entity. (5) A governmental entity may seek to require the creation of a backup copy under subsection (a)(1) of this section if in its sole discretion such entity

Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 18 U.S.C. § 2704

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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities

18 U.S.C. § 2705 — Delayed notice

**(a) Delay of Notification.—** (1) A governmental entity acting under [section 2703(b) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section2703/b&num=0&edition=prelim) may— (A) where a court order is sought, include in the application a request, which the court shall grant, for an order delaying the notification required under [section 2703(b) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section2703/b&num=0&edition=prelim) for a period not to exceed ninety days, if the court determines that there is reason to believe that notification of the existence of the court order may have an adverse result described in paragraph (2) of this subsection; or (B) where an administrative subpoena authorized by a Federal or State statute or a Federal or State grand jury subpoena is obtained, delay the notification required under [section 2703(b) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section2703/b&num=0&edition=prelim) for a period not to exceed ninety days upon the execution of a written certification of a supervisory official that there is reason to believe that notification of the existence of the subpoena may have an adverse result described in paragraph (2) of this subsection. (2) An adverse result for the purposes of paragraph (1) of this subsection is— (A) endangering the life or physical safety of an individual; (B) flight from prosecution; (C) destruction of or tampering with evidence; (D) intimidation of potential witnesses; or (E) otherwise seriously jeopardizing an investigation or unduly delaying a trial. (3) The governmental entity shall maintain a true copy of certification under paragraph (1)(B). (4) Extensions of the delay

Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 18 U.S.C. § 2705

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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities

18 U.S.C. § 2706 — Cost reimbursement

**(a) Payment.—** Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), a governmental entity obtaining the contents of communications, records, or other information under section 2702, 2703, or 2704 of this title shall pay to the person or entity assembling or providing such information a fee for reimbursement for such costs as are reasonably necessary and which have been directly incurred in searching for, assembling, reproducing, or otherwise providing such information. Such reimbursable costs shall include any costs due to necessary disruption of normal operations of any electronic communication service or remote computing service in which such information may be stored. **(b) Amount.—** The amount of the fee provided by subsection (a) shall be as mutually agreed by the governmental entity and the person or entity providing the information, or, in the absence of agreement, shall be as determined by the court which issued the order for production of such information (or the court before which a criminal prosecution relating to such information would be brought, if no court order was issued for production of the information). **(c) Exception.—** The requirement of subsection (a) of this section does not apply with respect to records or other information maintained by a communications common carrier that relate to telephone toll records and telephone listings obtained under [section 2703 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section2703&num=0&edition=prelim). The court may, however, order a payment as described in subsection (a) if the court determines the information required is unusually voluminous in nature or otherwise caused an undue burden on the provider.

Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 18 U.S.C. § 2706

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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities

18 U.S.C. § 2707 — Civil action

**(a) Cause of Action.—** Except as provided in section 2703(e), any provider of electronic communication service, subscriber, or other person aggrieved by any violation of this chapter in which the conduct constituting the violation is engaged in with a knowing or intentional state of mind may, in a civil action, recover from the person or entity, other than the United States, which engaged in that violation such relief as may be appropriate. **(b) Relief.—** In a civil action under this section, appropriate relief includes— (1) such preliminary and other equitable or declaratory relief as may be appropriate; (2) damages under subsection (c); and (3) a reasonable attorney’s fee and other litigation costs reasonably incurred. **(c) Damages.—** The court may assess as damages in a civil action under this section the sum of the actual damages suffered by the plaintiff and any profits made by the violator as a result of the violation, but in no case shall a person entitled to recover receive less than the sum of $1,000. If the violation is willful or intentional, the court may assess punitive damages. In the case of a successful action to enforce liability under this section, the court may assess the costs of the action, together with reasonable attorney fees determined by the court. **(d) Administrative Discipline.—** If a court or appropriate department or agency determines that the United States or any of its departments or agencies has violated any provision of this chapter, and the court or appropriate department or agency finds that the circumstances surrounding the violation raise serious questions about whether or not an officer or employee of the United States acted willfully or intentionally with respect to the violation, the department or agency shall, upo

Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 18 U.S.C. § 2707

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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities

18 U.S.C. § 2708 — Exclusivity of remedies

The remedies and sanctions described in this chapter are the only judicial remedies and sanctions for nonconstitutional violations of this chapter.

Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 18 U.S.C. § 2708

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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities

18 U.S.C. § 2709 — Counterintelligence access to telephone toll and transactional records

**(a) Duty to Provide.—** A wire or electronic communication service provider shall comply with a request for subscriber information and toll billing records information, or electronic communication transactional records in its custody or possession made by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation under subsection (b) of this section. **(b) Required Certification.—** The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or his designee in a position not lower than Deputy Assistant Director at Bureau headquarters or a Special Agent in Charge in a Bureau field office designated by the Director, may, using a term that specifically identifies a person, entity, telephone number, or account as the basis for a request— (1) request the name, address, length of service, and local and long distance toll billing records of a person or entity if the Director (or his designee) certifies in writing to the wire or electronic communication service provider to which the request is made that the name, address, length of service, and toll billing records sought are relevant to an authorized investigation to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities, provided that such an investigation of a United States person is not conducted solely on the basis of activities protected by the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States; and (2) request the name, address, and length of service of a person or entity if the Director (or his designee) certifies in writing to the wire or electronic communication service provider to which the request is made that the information sought is relevant to an authorized investigation to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities, provided that such an investigation of

Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 18 U.S.C. § 2709

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