Abstract

The crime of cyber espionage is one of the serious and continually developing crimes due to the access of an offender to a website, information system or information network to obtain electronic content that is not available to the public affecting national security, the external relations of the state or the national economy using modern methods that are difficult to detect, especially with the huge technological development. in all fields. This research highlights the extent of criminal protection provided by the Iraqi legislator for electronic content containing confidential information belonging to the State, and included in the draft law of information crimes of 2011 to address this crime as it is a crime against the security of the State that threatens its existence. Therefore, this research deals with two sections, the first section was devoted to the definition of electronic spyware, and the definition of espionage in general, and the definition of electronic espionage in particular, and the prevalent images of spy, in addition to distinguishing electronic espionage from what is suspected, In the second section we have explained the elements of the crime of cyber espionage and the penalty prescribed for it.