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You can easily be criminally prosecuted for cracking software, even if you don't distribute anything other than the crack itself. Here's a case against Russian hackers from 2002, where criminal charges were filed against Russian hackers

You're getting close, and now at least unknowingly you're referring to the right law, but you fail to spot the crucial difference between the cases.

And, despite your representation, the "hackers" in question were a Russian software company producing a product that is absolutely legal almost everywhere in the world. It is also a product that the FBI itself bought and used. Here's an exchange from the trial:

"Do you sell your software in Russia?" Burton asked.
"Yes." Vladimir said. "We sell it on the Internet to all countries."
"Are there customers of your software that are in law enforcement?" Burton asked.
"Yes." Vladimir said.
"Can you give me an example of a customer?" Burton asked.
"Police Departments, FBI, IRS." Vladimir said.
"Police Departments, the FBI and the IRS are customers of yours?" Burton asked.
"Yes. They are purchasers of our programs." Vladimir said.
"Is the U.S. Department of Justice a customer?" Burton asked.
"Yes. We receive orders from them about once a month from different states." Vladimir replied.
"Are there state agencies that are customers of your software?" Burton asked.
"Yes." Vladimir said.
"Do District Attorneys purchase your products?" Burton asked.
"Yes." Vladimir said.
"Are there private companies?" Burton asked.
"Yes." Vladimir replied. "Adobe, Microsoft, Motorola, Siemens..."
"Adobe is one of your customers?" Burton asked, emphasizing Adobe ever so slightly as he said it.
"Yes." Vladimir said.

Yes, we were prosecuting for writing a program that is a favorite of our law enforcement itself. Oh, the irony!