Completed Access to Information Requests

Request Number:
A-2025-39936
March 2026
Summary:

Records from January 1, 2020, to August 22, 2025, regarding the search or seizure of electronic devices, including but not limited to smartphones, computers, tablets, and storage media. Including but not limited to: Policies, procedures, guidelines, and criteria governing the targeting, authorization, or conduct of searches or seizures of electronic devices; Policies and procedures regarding the requesting of passwords, passphrases, biometrics, or other access credentials from device owners or users, including procedures for addressing refusals; Policies governing the retention, return, or disposal of seized electronic devices; Policies governing the retention, use, deletion, or sharing (with other agencies or governments) of data copied or extracted from electronic devices; Policies and procedures relating to the accessing of data stored on cloud services through applications or logged-in accounts on electronic devices during or after a search or seizure. Additionally, records describing or relating to software or hardware tools used to conduct searches or seizures of electronic devices, including tools used to bypass encryption, biometrics, passwords, passphrases, or other security measures. For each such tool, any manuals, technical documentation, training material, promotional material, contracts, purchase orders, or other records. Then, records regarding the Privacy Impact Assessments or similar assessments, reviews, or reports relating to the search or seizure of electronic devices; the requesting of passwords, passphrases, biometrics, or other access credentials; the accessing of cloud data via electronic devices; the retention, use, or sharing of device data. Finally, statistical records, reports, or summaries showing: the number of times access credentials were requested from device owners or users; the number of times such requests were refused; the number of times hardware or software tools were used to facilitate searches or seizures of electronic devices or the data on them.

Disposition:
Disclosed in part
Pages:
161
Organization:
Canada Border Services Agency