Cybercrime in Spain: Art. 197 Penal Code, Hacking, Sexting and Cyberstalking (2026)
Complete guide to cybercrime in Spain: discovery and disclosure of secrets (Art. 197 CP), unauthorized access to computer systems, non-consensual sharing of intimate images (Art. 197.7 CP), and cyberstalking (Arts. 172 ter and 183 CP).
Cybercrime in Spanish Law: Overview
Spanish criminal law addresses cybercrime primarily through Art. 197 of the Penal Code (discovery and disclosure of secrets), Art. 197 bis (unauthorised system access introduced by LO 1/2015 to transpose Directive 2013/40/EU), Art. 197.7 (non-consensual sharing of intimate images, amended by LO 10/2022) and Art. 172 ter (stalking/cyberstalking).
Key Offences
Unauthorised access (Art. 197 bis.1): 6 months to 2 years; requires circumventing security measures; mere access to unprotected systems does not satisfy the offence (STS 27 Oct 2022).
Non-consensual intimate imagery (Art. 197.7): 3 months to 1 year (images shared with consent) or 6 months to 2 years (images obtained without consent). Aggravated if victim is partner or vulnerable person.
Cyberstalking (Art. 172 ter): 3 months to 2 years; insistent and repeated contact, surveillance or proximity-seeking, including digital tracking and geolocation.
Digital Evidence Requirements
Spanish courts require: documented chain of custody, cryptographic hash of seized files (MD5/SHA-256), and expert verification of screenshots and messages. Communication interception requires judicial authorisation (Art. 579 LECrim).
Try Lexiel free · 28 days
Use code LEX-BLOG for double the standard trial period. Cancel anytime, no commitment.