The recent change to Rule 41 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure would allow a federal magistrate judge to issue a search and seizure warrant for electronic media if the location of the information is concealed through technological means or if it is a hacking case that involves computers in at least five judicial districts.

The recent Rule 41 change does not affect the burden of proof requirement to establish probable cause to secure a search warrant under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Even if a warrant was issued to PIA about searching and seizing electronic media, because we do not log internet activity, there is no way to trace the activity to a specific user.

Because this rule change allows the government to hack individuals outside of the United States, it is ever important that our subscribers remain vigilant and maintain best practices for protecting their privacy. That means not letting yourself be socially engineered and protecting your network against potentially malicious traffic. While a VPN can help protect your privacy, it is only one of several tools that when used together protects the privacy of you and your family.