Comment by delaminator

> Is running a piece of software with such a set of instructions a crime?

Yes.

The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) - Unauthorized access to computer systems, exceeding authorized access, causing damage are all covered under 18 U.S.C. § 1030. Penalties range up to 20 years depending on the offence. Deploying an agent with these instructions that actually accessed systems would almost certainly trigger CFAA violations.

Wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343) would cover the deception elements as using electronic communications to defraud carries up to 20 years. The "lie and deceive" instructions are practically a wire fraud recipe.