The court's hypothetical is useful: > For instance, employers commonly state that computers and electronic devices can be used only for business purposes. On t

The court's hypothetical is useful: > For instance, employers commonly state that computers and electronic devices can be used only for business purposes. On the Government’s reading, an employee who sends a personal e-mail or reads the news using a work computer has violated the CFAA. Accessing data for a forbidden reason should be a fireable offense, but not criminal. So if Thomas is right, it's a very bad law. I'm not sure I agree with him though. I think if you asked an average person, they might say something like "yes I am authorized to access that database, because I have credentials, but I'm not supposed to without a good reason". I don't think there is a single plain English reading of this phrase that any large group of people would agree on.