4 ms·
In case anyone else is wondering what an IMSI-Catcher is, let me save you a google: "An international mobile subscriber identity-catcher, or IMSI-catcher, is a
by wcarss 5y ago
In case anyone else is wondering what an IMSI-Catcher is, let me save you a google:
"An international mobile subscriber identity-catcher, or IMSI-catcher, is a telephone eavesdropping device used for intercepting mobile phone traffic and tracking location data of mobile phone users."
1 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMSI-catcher https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMSI-catcher
- Imagenuity 5y agoThe Stingray is a commercially available model that you may have heard of.
- heavyset_go 5y agoThey're also cheap, easy to use and deployed all over the country by local law enforcement. It isn't just three letter agencies using them, it's your local police department, too. No warrants needed, either.
- wyldfire 5y agoNo warrants? Because they intercept only the phone's identity (and therefore your location?) and not voice/text traffic, presumably. Not that it's not still egregious but it's described in this thread as an "eavesdropping" device so it would be helpful if we could be explicit. If my supposition above is accurate then the rationale is likely the fact that you are traveling in public is not considered protected against unreasonable search.
- heavyset_go 5y agoIt's because they use the devices for eavesdropping. If they want to use data they collected from eavesdropping in court, then they need a warrant. For example, if they're spying on a drug dealer, they can determine the right time to pull them over for a traffic violation and also catch them in the act of transporting drugs. If law enforcement doesn't submit evidence obtained from spying, it looks like whoever pulled them over was just in the right place at the right time[1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_construction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_construction
- wyldfire 5y agoI see. Do newer 3gpp/ETSI standards take this kind of surveillance into account? Surely this must not work for intercepting VoLTE or 5g voice calls?
- adrr 5y agoCan’t they see the content of text messages. If so that blows my mind that they can be used without a warrant.
- heavyset_go 5y agoA warrant would be needed if they wanted to submit evidence in court. Instead, they keep the use of the devices secret and launder the evidence[1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_construction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_construction