# Computer Fraud and Abuse Act > **Machine-Evolution Nexus:** [[articles/Digital Darwinism and the Invisible World of Machine Evolution|Digital Darwinism and the Invisible World of Machine Evolution]] places this node within the history and governance of substrate-independent evolution. **Domain:** Law / Cybersecurity **Doc Type:** Canonical Wiki Node **Maturity:** Developed ## Definition The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act is the principal United States federal statute addressing specified forms of unauthorized computer access and related conduct, codified at 18 U.S.C. §1030. ## Nexus Context Robert Morris’s prosecution became the first conviction under the 1986 Act, linking self-replicating software to emerging cybercrime law. ## Evidence Boundary The statute has changed through amendments and litigation. This node is historical context, not legal advice or a complete statement of current liability. ## Relationships [[wiki/Morris Worm|Morris Worm]], [[wiki/Robert Tappan Morris|Robert Tappan Morris]], [[wiki/Computer Worm|Computer Worm]], [[wiki/AI Governance|AI Governance]] ## Sources / Provenance - FBI Morris Worm history; Congressional Research Service, CFAA primer.