[W]hoever -- (1) intentionally accesses without authorization a facility through which an electronic communication service is provided; or (2) intentionally exceeds an authorization to access that facility; and thereby obtains, alters, or prevents authorized access to a wire or electronic communication while it is in electronic storage in such a system shall be punished as provided in subsection (b) of this section.
Once he obtained initial unauthorized access to a computer by using fraudulently obtained user accounts and passwords, defendant MITNICK circumvented internet computer security measures installed on victim companies´ computers for the purpose of preventing regular users from accessing information stored in protected parts of the computer systems or in other authorized user´s accounts.