s 239 Decompilation of computer program by lawful user
239.—(1) If the conditions in subsection (2) are met, it is a permitted use for a person (X) to decompile a computer program. (2) The conditions are —(a) the program is expressed in a low‑level language; (b) X is a lawful user of the program; (c) the decompiling is necessary to obtain the information needed for the purpose of creating an independent computer program that can be operated with the decompiled program or another computer program; (d) the information needed for that purpose is not otherwise readily available to X; (e) X confines the decompiling to acts that are needed for that purpose; (f) X does not use the information obtained from decompiling for anything other than that purpose; (g) X does not supply the information obtained from decompiling to any person unless it is necessary for that purpose; (h) X does not use the information obtained from decompiling to create a computer program that is substantially similar in its expression to the decompiled program; and (i) X does not use the information obtained from decompiling to do any act that is an infringement of copyright. (3) In this section, “decompiling”, in relation to a computer program expressed in a low‑level language, means —(a) converting the computer program into a version expressed in a higher level language; or (b) copying the computer program incidentally in the course of paragraph (a), and “decompile” has a corresponding meaning.