Federal agencies including ICE and the IRS have explored direct use of hacking tools in criminal investigations, according to documents obtained by Vice reports. In one file, ICE special agents sought legal advice “regarding the possible use of an investigative technique to remotely access an electronic device as part of a criminal investigation/case” and requested a search warrant for the specific case. FBI agents have already deployed malware in Operation Pacifier, which took over a dark web child abuse site, and DEA agents have purchased surveillance tools from the Italian company Hacking Team. In one new email from the Secret Service to Homeland Security, subject line “Government Use of Malware,” an employee wrote, “Have you ever addressed a similar issue at HSI, and if so would you be free for a quick phone call to discuss? We’re still at a very conceptual level.”

Laura Lazaro Cabrera, a legal officer at Privacy International, told Vice: “The documents show a growing perception among agencies that government hacking is not just acceptable, but an efficient and desirable solution for law enforcement activities. The fact that we’ve seen interest in acquiring hacking capabilities by organizations such as the U.S. Secret Service, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and even the Internal Revenue Service, reveals that there is a broader range of circumstances for which hacking is likely to be used.”