Rule41
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2016 claims another victim: Your privacy
In a blow to privacy on par with the Patriot Act, changes to the rules around warrants grant the US government unprecedented hacking powers in any jurisdiction, and on as many devices as it wants. The changes to a measure known as Rule 41 were made earlier this year but went into effect Thursday after lots of opposition. Basically, they let any judge issue a warrant to remotely access an unlimited number of computers and devices located in any jurisdiction. There was plenty of objection from senators and congresspeople, groups like the Center for Democracy and Technology and companies such as Google, who said it's unconstitutional and invades citizens' rights to privacy.
How an obscure rule lets law enforcement search any computer
With today's amendments to Rule 41, the statute that regulates legal search and seizure, the US Department of Justice has a new weapon to fight cyber crime -- but it's a double-edged sword. The changes expand the FBI's ability to search multiple computers, phones and other devices across the country, and even overseas, on a single warrant. In an increasingly connected world, amending the rules is both necessary for law enforcement agencies and deeply concerning for digital privacy advocates. And for everyday citizens, it's a little bit of both.
Supreme Court approves feds' request for greater hacking powers
The FBI found an ally in the Supreme Court in its quest to expand its hacking powers. Today, the highest federal court in the US has agreed to the changes made to Rule 41, giving judges the authority to approve remote access to suspects' computers outside their jurisdiction. Under the original Rule 41, a judge in, say, New York can only authorize hacking into a suspect's computer in New York. But the amended rule means that same judge in New York can approve the feds' request to hack into a computer in Florida, Alaska, or anywhere else, really.
Google fights rule that would let the US hack devices worldwide
The US is already snooping on computers around the world, but Google is worried that it might be sneaking in a rule change that would sanction more nosy behavior. The search firm has filed comments protesting an advisory committee proposal that would let the government get warrants for "remote access" to phones and PCs when their locations are hidden "through technological means." While the change is ostensibly targeted at American suspects masking their connections or running botnets, Google is worried that the proposal is worded such that it would allow law enforcement to hack into devices worldwide without any real political debate on the subject. After all, someone on a virtual private network could easily be in another country -- you might not know until you've broken in.
