Which of the following sections in the Information Technology Act deals with the crimes of 'hacking'? 

The correct answer is 'Section 66 '

Key Points

• Section 66 - Hacking:
  • Section 66 of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 deals specifically with hacking and related cybercrimes.
  • It defines hacking as any act where a person dishonestly or fraudulently destroys, deletes, or alters information residing in a computer resource, or diminishes its value or utility.
  • Under this section, hacking is considered a punishable offense, with penalties including imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of up to Rs. 5 lakh, or both.
  • This section aims to safeguard computer systems and resources from unauthorized access and manipulation by malicious actors.

Additional Information

• Section 63 - Copyright Infringement:
  • This section deals with the punishment for infringement of copyright under the Copyright Act, not hacking.
  • It prescribes imprisonment of up to three years and a fine for anyone knowingly infringing or abetting the infringement of copyright.
  • Section 63 focuses on protecting intellectual property, which is unrelated to hacking as defined in the IT Act.
• Section 65 - Tampering with Computer Source Documents:
  • Section 65 penalizes any unauthorized alteration, concealment, or destruction of computer source code required for a computer system or program.
  • While it deals with cybercrime, it does not specifically address hacking.
  • The punishment includes imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to Rs. 2 lakh or both.
• Section 64 - Penalty for Failure to Protect Data:
  • Section 64 addresses the failure to protect data as per prescribed standards but does not specifically pertain to hacking.
  • It focuses on ensuring responsible data management practices rather than unauthorized access or manipulation.