<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>350343</law_id><section_number>18.2-152.15</section_number><catch_line>Encryption used in criminal activity</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="52" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="5" identifier="5">Crimes Against Property</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="8" identifier="7.1">Computer Crimes</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who willfully uses <span class="dictionary">encryption</span> to further any criminal activity shall be guilty of an <span class="dictionary">offense</span> which is separate and distinct from the predicate criminal activity and punishable as a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>.</p><p>&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Encryption</span>&#x201D; means the enciphering of intelligible data into unintelligible form or the deciphering of unintelligible data into intelligible form.</p></section></text><history>1999, c. 455.</history><metadata><court_decisions><item key="0"><name>Maxient, LLC v. Symplicity Corp.</name><case_number>Civil Action No. 1:14-cv-1184 (AJT/IDD)</case_number><citation>63 F. Supp. 3d 592</citation><date>2014-10-23</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/7310209/maxient-llc-v-symplicity-corp/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. MEMORANDUM OPINION .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>District Court, E.D. Virginia</court_html></item></court_decisions></metadata></law>
