US court: cloud companies must hand over ALL data on demand, regardless of where it is held
April 28, 2014
Grazed from Computing. Author: Graeme Burton.
Internet and cloud companies must turn over all information to US government agencies on demand, regardless of where the data is held. That is the landmark judgment by US Magistrates court judge James C. Francis in a judgment against software giant Microsoft. It follows moves by Microsoft to quash a search warrant that sought the contents of emails of a customer, whose data was held on a server physically located in Ireland.
"Microsoft contends that courts in the United States are not authorized to issue warrants for extraterritorial search and seizure, and that this is such a warrant. For the reasons that follow, Microsoft’s motion is denied," wrote Francis in his judgment. He continued: "On December 4, 2013, in response to an application by the United States, I issued the search warrant that is the subject of the instant motion…
"That warrant authorizes the search and seizure of information associated with a specified web-based email account that is ‘stored at premises owned, maintained, controlled, or operated by Microsoft Corporation, a company headquartered at One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA’." According to the judge, Microsoft’s Global Criminal Compliance team went as far as to collate the data, using automated tools designed for the purpose…
Read more from the source @ http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/news/2341902/us-court-cloud-companies-must-hand-over-all-data-on-demand-regardless-of-where-it-is-held
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