Privacy advocates will not be happy about this, as the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal judges can now issue warrants that allow agents hack into devices outside their jurisdiction.
The U.S. Supreme Court approved a new rule Thursday allowing federal judges to issue warrants that target computers outside their jurisdiction, setting the stage for a major expansion of surveillance and hacking powers by federal law-enforcement agencies.
Chief Justice John Roberts submitted the rule to Congress on behalf of the Court as part of the justices' annual package of changes to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. The rules form the basis of every federal prosecution in the United States.
Under Rule 41's current incarnation, federal magistrate judges can typically only authorize searches and seizures within their own jurisdiction. Only in a handful of circumstances can judges approve a warrant that reaches beyond their territory--if, for example, they allow federal agents to use a tracking device that could move through multiple judicial districts.