FBI seeks warrant to obtain detailed personal information from Sony

The Bureau has asked for messaging history and even game progress in trying to track down a suspect

The FBI has attempted to get a search warrant to claim data from Sony on a Playstation 4 user who is a suspect in a cocaine ring, according to a report from Motherboard.

The warrant, which the Bureau applied for in October, would enable the FBI to claim vast amounts of information on the user, Curtis Alexander, from his private messages down to the games he played and his progress through them.

'This warrant authorizes [sic] a review of electronically stored information, communications, other records and information disclosed pursuant to this warrant in order to locate evidence, fruits, and intrumentalities described in this warrant', the document states.

In addition, the FBI could seize all browsing data, all network-connected hardware, all network-connected software data, location data, account information and the identity of people who communicated with Alexander about drug trafficking.

According to the warrant, 'investigators believe that ALEXANDER is utilizing [sic] PlayStation and PlayStation Messaging to discuss, plan and arrange transactions of illegal controlled substances'.

A source told the FBI that Alexander, who goes by 'Speedola20' on PlayStation Network, was selling large quantities of cocaine, charging $34,000 per kilo. Alexander apparently believed that in-game audio communication is secure and so he was free to use it for transactions.

During a sting, the FBI observed Alexander selling the source a bag of around 100g of cocaine for $4,400 before requesting to talk again later in-game.

The warrant does not name the game, and there is no indication that in-game communication was monitored; however, communication in Sony's messaging service is recorded.