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Mexican Drug Cartel Hacker Used Surveillance Tech to Target FBI Informants for Execution
The surveillance state has come full circle – and it’s a bloody and deadly one. A recent report by the U.S. Justice Department reveals that a hacker working for Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel used surveillance technology to identify and execute FBI informants.
According to the 47-page report, the hacker, who remains unnamed, utilized phone data and security cameras scattered throughout Mexico City to track down individuals connected to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This information was then used to intimidate and sometimes kill people believed to be sharing intel or cooperating with law enforcement.
The hacker’s tactics were reportedly devious. They observed individuals entering and exiting the United States Embassy in Mexico City, allowing them to identify “people of interest.” The cartel eventually pinpointed an FBI assistant legal attaché, obtaining their phone number and exploiting it to access calls made and received from that number, as well as geolocation data tied to the device.
Furthermore, the hacker tapped into surveillance cameras across the city to track the individual’s movements and identify those they interacted with. Mexico City has been rapidly expanding its network of security cameras in recent years – a total of over 18,000 were installed by 2018, with plans for an additional 40,000 more in the near future.
While the specifics of this incident are disturbing, the report’s true focus lies in highlighting the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in safeguarding their sources in today’s surveillance-heavy environment. “Advances in data mining and analysis, facial recognition, and computer network exploitation have made it easier than ever for nation-state adversaries, terrorist organizations, and criminal networks to identify FBI personnel and operations,” reads a portion of the report.
In essence, the audit concludes with a recommendation that the FBI conduct an internal review to pinpoint vulnerabilities in its operations. It’s somewhat ironic that the surveillance state – which has enabled unprecedented monitoring capabilities – now poses significant challenges for those agencies utilizing it.
Source: gizmodo.com
