Encryption

Apologies in advance if this belongs elsewhere. The large and relevant thread dealing with this topic has been closed for some time.

I lost a lengthy debate last night with regard to scanning and hacking encryption. My opponent argued that both were legal as long as the information was never passed along. I conceded his first point, but insisted that as soon as an unauthorized listener took a step to intercept an "encrypted" message they were breaking the law. Of course I needed to prove that and for the life of me I could not find a supporting statue.

Can anyone point me to the proper Illinois and/or Federal statue?

I know it is there and likely even discussed on this site, but I cannot find it.

Thanks.

U.S. Code › Title 18 › Part I › Chapter 119 › § 2511

Read this page.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2511

Thank you. Does anyone know if there is an Illinois law as well?

ducksoup65 said:

Thank you. Does anyone know if there is an Illinois law as well?

Click to expand...

Illinois has their own separate eavesdropping law, however, I doubt it has much to do with intercepting encrypted transmissions (it mostly covers the unauthorized recordings/videotaping of conversations). I believe the encryption thing falls solely under federal law. I'd have to pull the statute to see for sure.