Notes

The Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA 1998) is an act of the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament defining the ways in which information about living people may be legally used and handled. The main intent is to protect individuals against misuse or abuse of information about them. The DPA was first composed in 1984 and was updated in 1998.
The text of DPA 1998 contains six major sections called Parts, followed by 16 explanatory notes called Schedules. The Parts outline the basic rights of data subjects, methods in which data may be handled by those who possess it, special exemptions and modes of enforcement. The Schedules explain the Parts in greater detail and elaborate on diverse contingencies and legal interpretations.
The fundamental principles of DPA 1998 specify that personal data must:
• be processed fairly and lawfully.
• be obtained only for lawful purposes and not processed in any manner incompatible with those purposes.
• be adequate, relevant and not excessive.
• be accurate and current.
• not be retained for longer than necessary.
• be processed in accordance with the rights and freedoms of data subjects.
• be protected against unauthorized or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage.
1. not be transferred to a country or territory outside the European Economic Area unless that country or territory protects the rights and freedoms of the data subjects. Accessing computer material without permission, eg looking at someone else's files.
2. Accessing computer material without permission with intent to commit further criminal offences, eg hacking into the bank's computer and wanting to increase the amount in your account.
3. Altering computer data without permission, eg writing a virus to destroy someone else's data, or actually changing the money in an account.
This was introduced to regulate personal data. This helps to provide protection against the abuse of personal information. Find out more about the Data Protection Act.
You need to be familiar with the following ideas about data and computer misuse: that data stored electronically is easier to misuse; that software should not be copied without permission; the consequences of software piracy; that hacking can lead to corruption of data, either accidentally or on purpose.
The Copyright , Designs and Patents Act
When you buy software, for example, copyright law forbids you from:
• giving a copy to a friend
• making a copy and then selling it
• using the software on a network (unless the licence allows it)
• renting the software without the permission of the copyright holder
The law that governs copyright in the UK is called the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Prevention of software piracy
Software companies take many steps to stop software piracy:
• An agreement between the company that developed the software and the user must be agreed before the software is installed. This is called the license agreement and covers copyright.
• Certain pieces of software require a unique licence key to be entered before the installation will continue.
• Some applications or programs will only run if the media (CD / DVD) is in the drive.
• Some applications or programs will only run if a special piece of hardware called a dongle is plugged into the back of the computer.
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