Would collecting personal information on a server you have access to be &quot;hacking&quot;?
<p>Suppose you have an account on a local domain, but you were given it only to use a local server for personal storage.  If you collect personal information of employees and users in this network (such as personal id, phone number, email address, home address, ...), is this work known as a kind of Hack?  And can you be prosecuted for any crime?</p>

<p>Does it make a difference if you only use the information obtained for sending them advertisements, or suppose that you collect the information just for your own amusement?</p>

<p>In the United States the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act would likely apply.  The questions would be whether the cracker exceeded authorized access to the computer and whether the computer "is used in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or communication".  </p>

<p>It can be a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the number of computers affected, amount of money involved, etc...</p>

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