Essential The Locker Room's Random Thoughts

[Nicole0416_718_929_646212]

FBI Sold Criminals Fake Encrypted Phones That Actually Copied Their Messages | PCMag

FBI Sold Criminals Fake Encrypted Phones That Actually Copied Their Messages
The Anom company helped international law enforcement arrest over 800 suspected criminals in what marks the FBI's latest attempt to overcome encryption.


An encrypted chat platform that catered to criminals is actually an FBI sting operation.

Since 2019, the FBI has been secretlyoperating Anom, a company that pretended to offer encrypted messaging to criminal organizations. In reality, the Anom app would relay to federal investigators a copy of every message sent.

The operation enabled the FBI and international law enforcement to arrest over 800 suspected criminals across the globe, according to Europol.

Anom ended up serving more than 12,000 devices belonging to over 300 criminal organizations, including the Italian mafia, outlaw motorcycle gangs, and crime syndicates based in Asia. The encrypted chat platform recorded messages covering assassination plots, mass drug trafficking, and illegal gun distribution.

With Anom, the FBI used an entirely different strategy to tackle the challenge of encryption. The genesis for the sting operation occurred with the FBI takedown of a separate encrypted chat platform popular among criminals called Phantom Secure.

“When we took down Phantom Secure in 2018, we found the criminal organizations moved quickly to back-up options with other encrypted platforms,” said FBI San Diego Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jamie Arnold in a statement.

——-
Bbbutt the Italian mafia, Russian mob and yakuza moves smart, they said.

 

[Atlrocafella]

Chick fil A finally opened their dinning rooms back up

 

[Nicole0416_718_929_646212]

The criminals texted each other about drug deals and money laundering, confident in special encrypted devices using a platform dubbed Anom. There was just one problem for the crime rings: The FBI was being copied on every message — millions of them worldwide. In fact, the agency had sent the Anom devices into the black market in the first place.


The operation marks US law enforcement’s latest attempt to circumvent encryption on smartphones. For years now, the FBI has been urging Apple to create a backdoor into its iPhones, citing the need to collect evidence against suspected criminals. Apple has thus far refused, so the agency has contracted professional smartphone hacking services to help it unlock devices seized in investigations.

FBI sold phones to organized crime and read 27 million “encrypted” messages – Ars Technica
————-

NPR Cookie Consent and Choices

 

[Krisrunner2049]

Mechanic brehs is this a good enough tool kit for DIY stuff?

 

[Neuromancer]

We feel.

 

[Prynce]

lil shorty broke heart

 

[Pseudonym]

This mosquito has been whispering sweet nothings and kisses in my ear all damn night

 

[Big Boda]

Minnie Mouse dance battling kids at a birthday party.

 

[Nicole0416_718_929_646212]

 

[King]

Diabla Jenkins

 

[CreepyMcCreeperson]

 

[PortCityProphet]

Does eating too many edibles make you gassy?

 

[Nicole0416_718_929_646212]

@til november @Pseudonym

 

[Nicole0416_718_929_646212]

Yup

 

[Aceofspades404]

I was reading @Nat King Krueger quoted article and it’s pretty much a do or die situation on the Feds side.

Technically, the best thing to do in a situation like this is to raise rates and slow this motherfukker down. It’ll hurt like a motherfukker but at least we’ll be able move on as a society, renew and grow stronger. But the Fed can’t do this. They raise rates and the stock market goes to hell right quick, a lot of these half dead corporations get exposed and you have 2008 all over again but much, much worse. This is why you have the Fed not doing anything and even Yellen talking about there’s nothing wrong with a little inflation, which is true historically, but this level of inflation affecting EVERYTHING is extraordinary.

Got a few questions for you but I can't send you a message