FBI Carnivore Screwup Destroys E-Mail Evidence

An Anonymous Coward writes: "The FBI apparently used Carivore in an attempt to collect information on Osama bin Laden't network. Unfortunately they screwed up and collected information on "non-covered targets" (*ahem*, isn't this the sort of thing we weren't supposed to worry about...). Then the FBI tech was "so upset" that he destroyed ALL of the collected email, not only the information that was not covered by the warrant. Here is the SF Gate Story and EPIC's press release."

Comments

Destroyed?

[mrbuckles]

The article actually says that the collected information was not destroyed -- citing an unnamed source. One would wonder with the backups a system like that would (should) have that destroying the evidence would be a lengthy job and may not have been done completely.

The article also notes people who have had their e-mail unintentionally collected are entitled to be informed. Can't wait to see if that happens...

Re:No backups?

[ParticleGirl]

They just aren't advertising backups. The memo said that the agent was so upset that she deleted the email. An agent contributed my favorite quote in the article:

A Justice Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tuesday night that the e-mails were not destroyed. The official did not elaborate or try to reconcile the statement with the memo.

Yeah, I'm sure there are backups. I'm sure the FBI is avoiding confirming that there are records somewhere of emails captured from "non-target" subjects, while trying to cover its ass in re: losing evidence.