Cell Surveilance/Spying: Stingray, Triggerfish Hailstorm, etc.

[Nrbelex]

Ars has "the most comprehensive picture to date of the mobile phone surveillance technology that has been deployed in the US over the past decade."

 

Seems like most of these machines can identify the location from which a phone call is being made, collect hundreds of IMSIs and ESMs, view texts, and listen in on calls. They're in the hands of the usual three letter agencies but also lots of local police departments.

 

Apparently, "their use by law enforcement agencies is in a legal gray zone, particularly because interference with communications signals is supposed to be prohibited under the federal Communications Act."

 

So what do you guys think? Is any of this surprising? Any technical insight? Ever notice any strange behavior on your device which makes you think you might have been surveilled by one?

 

[Nickel]

All my calls/texts would bore them to tears.

[AJC1973]

they dont need to take over your phone to do this... they get the info straight from sprints servers... 

[Nrbelex]

they dont need to take over your phone to do this... they get the info straight from sprints servers... 

 

While I have no doubt that's mostly true, they're not spending $40 million on nothing. Clearly these do something they can't do for free.

[AJC1973]

While I have no doubt that's mostly true, they're not spending $40 million on nothing. Clearly these do something they can't do for free.

well these are pretty old devices and for the most part pre patriot act devices where the courts wouldnt have given the blanket warrants to just take all the data and then let the pick through it. these devices were more specific targets but thanks to the patriot act and the fisa courts these devices have been moded out for more efficient collection means.  

 

meta data collection given straight from the companies render most of these devices outdated. i dont need to track a phone if verizon et al just tell me where a phone is. and they can do that pretty accurately 

 

now for 3 letter agencies and military where these devices would come in handy would be overseas where they cant get blanket court approval not likely a pakistan or egyptian court is going to let the cia just have cell phone records...  and i doubt a Qatar based cell phone company is going to give up a list of their clients and their cell phone data so these devices would come in handy for them... but over here why bother just call up sprint or vzw and the rest of them and say we have a warrant for this data.. which fisa courts have already given them access too anyway 

[Nrbelex]

... but over here why bother just call up sprint or vzw and the rest of them and say we have a warrant for this data.. which fisa courts have already given them access too anyway 

 

Don't disagree, but that doesn't really explain why local police departments need these, and it doesn't explain why they've been buying them in recent years, long after the Patriot Act.

[AJC1973]

Don't disagree, but that doesn't really explain why local police departments need these, and it doesn't explain why they've been buying them in recent years, long after the Patriot Act.

 

personally i dont think they do need them... just like they dont need a tank or personal armored transport carriers...or drones...

 

but..

 

 

 

they do have a budget and if they dont spend the money they may not get the increase year over year... so they buy shit they dont really need... 

 

(though i could argue that drones are probably less expensive and easier to maintain than a helicopter or a fleet of them)

Edited September 27, 2013 by AJC1973

[Nrbelex]

Amen