US Govt. Tries to Get Data From Encrypted IM Service, Disappointment Ensues

Open Whisper Systems, the organization behind the Signal encrypted messaging service, published yesterday the first-ever subpoena it received from a US court that tried to obtain data from its service. The subpoena, a legal document that forced the company to comply with the order under penalty of law, was accompanied by a secrecy order that prevented the company from publicizing the event. Such practices are normal for US courts, which often issue secrecy orders to avoid situations where suspects may learn when they are the subject of a law enforcement investigation, and tamper with evidence or flee the country. OWS needed to "lawyer up" just to release a redacted version of the subpoena In a large number of cases, companies are allowed to publish these subpoenas, but with heavy editing, so not to violate their own privacy practices and promises to their customers. In this case, Open Whisper Systems was not allowed to reveal they received a subp...