The Department of Homeland Security has detected in the Washington, D.C., area what appears to be the unauthorized use of a controversial technology that allows for the surreptitious surveillance of people’s cellphones – though it has not been able to pinpoint who or what is causing it, the department revealed in a letter released Tuesday.
The technology, a cell-tower simulator commonly known as a StingRay, has been deployed for years by federal and local law enforcement to pinpoint suspects’ locations, though its unauthorized use in the Washington area raises fears that foreign adversaries might also be taking advantage of it to spy on U.S. citizens.
The simulators work by tricking cellphones nearby to register with them, rather than normal cell towers. Once the device finds the phone it is seeking, it can pinpoint the phone’s location. Some versions of the technology can also be used to eavesdrop on calls.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., had asked the DHS whether it had detected foreign governments using the devices in the national capital region and elsewhere. The department’s revelation came in response to his request, though it had not “validated or attributed such activity to specific entities or devices,” officials said. It also did not provide any details on what was detected, other than to say it was “activity” consistent with the cell-tower simulator devices.
(c) 2018, The Washington Post · Matt Zapotosky
{Matzav.com}
Wow, what a shocking revelation! Big government is spying on private law abiding, taxpaying citizens! I refuse to believe this fake news story. This must if been put out by those looney anti-vaxxers. Mike Rogers, who heads the NSA is mamesh a Tzaddik and would NEVER do anything to expose a private law abiding citizen. NEVER. The Michael Flynn story was made up that evil white racist anti semite, Donald Trump. This tapping into private citizens cell-phone must of been done by those little green men that listen to late-night radio. Please remove this fake news story.