A smaller issue in this story but still important; what kind of data center gets a search warrant and server pulled, and doesn't immediately notify their client? Are they legally prohibited from doing so? Then they let the FBI put the possibly compromised server back on the network? WTF?
Seems to be SOP from all of the data center horror stories that I've heard.. site/apps go offline, datacenter or domain registrar gives you no useful information of any kind, truth later found out via third party or lawyer work.
Still doesn't make much sense. The client is going to figure it out. Also, a search warrant doesn't give the Feds the ability to put it back. Maybe with a national security letter for the purpose of putting spyware on it? But even then the server owner is going to notice that their server went missing for a couple days. "Must have gone for a long walk. Glad it's back," is not how I would approach it.
Right. The data center owner had no obligation to allow the FBI to return the server. [IANAL] This was a convenient choice on their part. Is there any reason why this human rights organization can or should not post a torrent of the server's disk images so that knowledgeable folks can determine what the FBI might have done to the machine?
On the contrary, it makes perfect sense. It gives the FBI or any law enforcement agency sufficient leeway to do as they please, which is always the intent of such laws.
> The client is going to figure it out.
The only thing the client knows is that their server isn't working. Not that they are about to be raped by the feds.
1) Their actions don't make sense. The law is what it is.
2) In this case the Feds had already paid them a visit. If they are trying to run a covert surveillance operation they really suck at it. Even without the FBI visit I am still going to figure out what the hell happened to my server.
Worst wire tap job ever? Helpful FBI agents with experience in network operations want to make up for needlessly inconveniencing someone? Some other three letter agency tells them, "we were using that, could you put it back?" ?
