The criminal code of 1951, like that of many other countries, did not contain specific provisions against computer use for criminal purposes. Law 1805, which took effect in 1988, extended the meaning of the term "document" to protect computer information. At the same time specific provisions penalized (through fines and/or prison terms) the use of computers to gain access to government, scientific, or professional secrets; to commit copyright violations such as copying computer programs or distributing illicit copies; to access someone else's funds for monetary advantage; and to access someone else's data to create nuisance and confusion. Offenses against the hardware or software of a computer--such as computer theft or willful damage to a computer/diskette--did not require new legislation; they were sufficiently protected by general legislation for the protection of property. The article emphasizes the need for constant vigilance in the area of economic criminal law because behaviors which were once considered harmless or negligible can suddenly inflict great damage and require legislative action. 108 references