205.492 - Unlawful acts involving electronic mail or transmission of other data, information, images, programs, signals or sounds to computer, system or network.

205.492  Unlawful acts involving electronic mail or transmission of other data, information, images, programs, signals or sounds to computer, system or network.

      1.  A person shall not willfully falsify or forge any data, information, image, program, signal or sound that:

      (a) Is contained in the header, subject line or routing instructions of an item of electronic mail; or

      (b) Describes or identifies the sender, source, point of origin or path of transmission of an item of electronic mail,

Ê with the intent to transmit or cause to be transmitted the item of electronic mail to any Internet or network site or to the electronic mail address of one or more recipients without their knowledge of or consent to the transmission.

      2.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 7, a person shall not willfully transmit or cause to be transmitted an item of electronic mail to any Internet or network site or to the electronic mail address of one or more recipients without their knowledge of or consent to the transmission if the person knows or has reason to know that the item of electronic mail contains or has been generated or formatted with:

      (a) An Internet domain name that is being used without the consent of the person who holds the Internet domain name; or

      (b) Any data, information, image, program, signal or sound that has been used intentionally in the header, subject line or routing instructions of the item of electronic mail to falsify or misrepresent:

             (1) The identity of the sender; or

             (2) The source, point of origin or path of transmission of the item of electronic mail.

      3.  A person shall not knowingly sell, give or otherwise distribute or possess with the intent to sell, give or otherwise distribute any data, information, image, program, signal or sound which is designed or intended to be used to falsify or forge any data, information, image, program, signal or sound that:

      (a) Is contained in the header, subject line or routing instructions of an item of electronic mail; or

      (b) Describes or identifies the sender, source, point of origin or path of transmission of an item of electronic mail.

      4.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 7, a person shall not willfully and without authorization transmit or cause to be transmitted an item of electronic mail or any other data, information, image, program, signal or sound to any Internet or network site, to the electronic mail address of one or more recipients or to any other computer, system or network:

      (a) With the intent to prevent, impede, delay or disrupt the normal operation or use of the Internet or network site, electronic mail address, computer, system or network, whether or not such a result actually occurs; or

      (b) Under circumstances in which such conduct is reasonably likely to prevent, impede, delay or disrupt the normal operation or use of the Internet or network site, electronic mail address, computer, system or network, whether or not such a result actually occurs.

      5.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, a person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.

      6.  If the violation of any provision of subsection 4:

      (a) Was committed to devise or execute a scheme to defraud or illegally obtain property;

      (b) Caused response costs, loss, injury or other damage in excess of $500; or

      (c) Caused an interruption or impairment of a public service, including, without limitation, a governmental operation, a system of public communication or transportation or a supply of water, gas or electricity,

Ê the person is guilty of a category C felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130, and may be further punished by a fine of not more than $100,000. In addition to any other penalty, the court shall order the person to pay restitution.

      7.  The provisions of subsections 2 and 4 do not apply to a provider of Internet service who, in the course of providing service, transmits or causes to be transmitted an item of electronic mail on behalf of another person, unless the provider of Internet service is the person who first generates the item of electronic mail.

      8.  As used in this section, “item of electronic mail” includes, without limitation:

      (a) A single item of electronic mail;

      (b) Multiple copies of one or more items of electronic mail;

      (c) A collection, group or bulk aggregation of one or more items of electronic mail;

      (d) A constant, continual or recurring pattern or series of one or more items of electronic mail; or

      (e) Any other data, information, image, program, signal or sound that is included or embedded in or attached or connected to one or more items of electronic mail.

      (Added to NRS by 1999, 2704; A 2001, 1243)