Ethical Hacking News
Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance: The Growing Threat of Modern-Day Espionage
The Justice Department report highlights a growing trend of ubiquitous technical surveillance (UTS) threats faced by law enforcement agencies. Mexican drug cartels have been using sophisticated hacking techniques to track and intimidate potential informants, including an FBI official investigating Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Advances in commercially available hacking and surveillance tools have made it easier for less sophisticated nations and criminal enterprises to carry out UTS activities. The FBI has faced numerous examples of UTS threats, including the use of credit or debit card transaction reports compiled by commercial data brokers to track individuals. The report emphasizes the need for improved training across the FBI to address the evolving UTS threat. The FBI is recommended to take several steps to improve its response to UTS threats, including expanding advanced training modules and establishing a clear line of authority.
The recent report by the Justice Department has shed light on a disturbing trend of ubiquitous technical surveillance (UTS) threats faced by law enforcement agencies, including the FBI. According to the report, Mexican drug cartels have been using sophisticated hacking techniques to track and intimidate potential informants, including an FBI official investigating kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
The UTS threat has been a longstanding concern for law enforcement agencies, but recent advances in commercially available hacking and surveillance tools have made it easier for less sophisticated nations and criminal enterprises to carry out such activities. The report highlights the existence of an "individual connected to the cartel" who offered a menu of services related to exploiting mobile phones and other electronic devices.
The hacker observed "people of interest" for the cartel, including the FBI Assistant Legal Attache, and was able to use their phone number to obtain calls made and received, as well as geolocation data. The cartel also used Mexico City's camera system to follow the attache through the city and identify people they met with, using this information to intimidate and kill potential sources or cooperating witnesses.
The report emphasizes that the UTS threat has been increasing in recent years, with advances in hacking tools making it easier for less sophisticated actors to carry out such activities. The FBI has faced numerous examples of UTS threats, including the use of credit or debit card transaction reports compiled by commercial data brokers to track individuals.
In one instance, the leader of an organized crime family suspected an employee of being an informant and searched their cell phone call logs for phone numbers connected to law enforcement. Another example cited in the report is the use of UTS to track an individual's online activities, which can be used to identify potential informants.
The report highlights the need for improved training across the FBI to address the evolving UTS threat. The FBI has acknowledged that its procedures put in place following a 2022 memorandum were inadequate, and the agency is recommended to take several steps to improve its response to UTS threats.
These steps include thoroughly documenting and incorporating identified UTS vulnerabilities into the final UTS mitigation plan, finalizing the UTS Strategic Plan to include strategies for coordinating disparate UTS efforts across the enterprise, establishing a clear line of authority for responding to enterprise-wide UTS-related incidents, and assessing its ability to expand advanced UTS-related training modules.
The report also highlights the existential threat posed by UTS, which can be used to track individuals and intimidate or kill potential informants. The FBI is urged to take immediate action to address this threat and ensure that all personnel are adequately trained on both basic and advanced skills needed to address the evolving UTS threat.
In conclusion, the recent report by the Justice Department has shed light on a growing trend of ubiquitous technical surveillance threats faced by law enforcement agencies. The use of sophisticated hacking techniques by Mexican drug cartels poses a significant threat to national security, and it is essential that the FBI takes immediate action to address this threat.
Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance: The Growing Threat of Modern-Day Espionage
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Ubiquitous-Technical-Surveillance-The-Growing-Threat-of-Modern-Day-Espionage-ehn.shtml
https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/06/mexican-drug-cartel-hacked-fbi-officials-phone-to-track-informant-report-says/
https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/30/mexican-drug-cartel-hacker-spied-on-fbi-officials-phone-to-track-and-kill-informants-report-says/
Published: Mon Jun 30 19:48:15 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
