If You Used Secure Webmail Site TorMail, the FBI Has Your Inbox

[Newsjock]

Source: Wired

While investigating a hosting company known for sheltering child porn last year the FBI incidentally seized the entire e-mail database of a popular anonymous webmail service called TorMail.

Now the FBI is tapping that vast trove of e-mail in unrelated investigations.

The bureau’s data windfall, seized from a company called Freedom Hosting, surfaced in court papers last week when prosecutors indicted a Florida man for allegedly selling counterfeit credit cards online.

... The tactic suggests the FBI is adapting to the age of big-data with an NSA-style collect-everything approach, gathering information into a virtual lock box, and leaving it there until it can obtain specific authority to tap it later. There’s no indication that the FBI searched the trove for incriminating evidence before getting a warrant. But now that it has a copy of TorMail’s servers, the bureau can execute endless search warrants on a mail service that once boasted of being immune to spying.

Read more: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2014/01/tormail/

[last1standing]

1. Can we call this a Constitutional crisis, now?

This is blatantly illegal search and seizure. Every single bit of evidence against all parties should be expunged, the cases against them dropped and the culprits in the government prosecuted.

Anything less will prove that our Constitution means nothing to those in power.

[misterhighwasted]

3. yup & prez gwbush said so

I recall him waving a copy of the USConstitution & smirkingly saying "Its just a piece of paper". The young dunce was placed in the Oval Office for a reason..just a piece of paper is all it represents 2 such thieves.

[woo me with science]

6. For quite some time.

[1awake]

7. But why... I have nothing to hide....

[Kablooie]

8. Is it unconstitutional to comb through info about foreign parties obtained from a foreign source?

Some of the users were certainly American but I'm sure many users were not.
It wouldn't be unconstitutional to get info about foreigners from this kind of cache, would it?

But it gets more complicated because since it was anonymous email I doubt they can tell who each account was assigned to unless someone put personal info into an email.

I would think this cache of info could be a hornets nest of legal spaghetti if they ever try to use it as evidence in court.

[last1standing]

12. "Some of the users were certainly American..." Stop right there!

Once you get there the analysis is over. The FBI illegally and unconstitutionally violated American citizens' right to privacy. There is nothing more need be said.

[msanthrope]

10. No...do you have any evidence that the warrant was improper? nt

[snot]

2. Combine that with "parallel construction," and you get . . . .

(Re- parallel construction: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023425612 )

[jsr]

4. Recommend

[Warpy]

5. I knew when they made that huge pedophile bust using Tor

last summer that Tor was completely compromised as far as US spying goes.

Any agent who reads through my email would be bored to death. I've always assumed email to be unsecure. I want secure, I use a stamp and the USPS.

[anasv]

11. nope

The feds photograph both sides of every piece of mail sent through the USPS. I would be very surprised if they couldn't photograph through the envelopes as well. Maybe send your letters in a box...

[Jesus Malverde]

9. bump..nt