> They will almost certainly not recommend disclosing or distributing the NSL "down the chain to the tech people".
I meant they might target the tech people directly from the start - or someone who isn't a C-level executive, anyway - if they think the CxOs would go to a lawyer and the lower level people would just comply.
Something important to understand is that non-disclosure is not an automatic feature of the NSL, but that disclosure binds the parties to the terms in the NSL.
[1]: https://vault.fbi.gov/National%20Security%20Letters%20%28NSL...
> Secondly, the FBI can serve an NSL to the CEO, a separate one to the CISO, and so on down the chain to the tech people whose job would be to fulfill the order
Yes, they can, however that's not what happens. The general council may advise the CEO to disclose certain requirements or aspects of the NSL to the CISO or to other parties for the purposes of complying with the NSL. They will almost certainly not recommend disclosing or distributing the NSL "down the chain to the tech people".