![]() The only other consolation is that stingrays have geographic limits. "But getting the software update on all the old phones is hard, and it won’t stop IMSI catchers a hundred percent." ![]() "Making software on cellphones more resilient to rogue towers and IMSI catchers is a good way to go," Red Balloon's Cui says. But not all mobile devices offer this feature or even the options to access these controls. On some devices, users can turn off their 2G and 3G connections as a way of reducing the number of stingrays that will be able to interact with their device, because IMSI catchers targeting 4G are still less common. Likewise, Senator Wyden said this week, "Despite repeated warnings and clear evidence that our phone networks are being exploited by foreign governments and hackers, FCC Chairman Pai has refused to hold the industry accountable."įor now, citizens in Washington DC and around the country can only go about their business knowing with increased certainty that their cell phones are at risk of surveillance by rogue cell-site simulators. The FCC does not have jurisdiction relative to the legal authorization for use of the devices." But the ranking House members who demanded that the FCC act dispute this characterization. The FCC’s only role is certifying whether these devices meet our requirements for controlling radio interference and emissions. FCC spokesperson Neil Grace told WIRED that the Commission, "continues to monitor any developments for IMSI devices. Other agencies that could crack down on rogue cell-site simulators have also been hesitant to do so. It is difficult to police what goes on inside those walls. The number of foreign embassies in Washington, DC is also a hurdle, because these institutions operate with impunity on sovereign soil. 'It’s actually not a super easy problem to solve.' ![]() NPPD has not validated or attributed such activity to specific entities or devices." Overall, believes the malicious use of IMSI catchers is a real and growing risk." The agency added that NPPD "has observed anomalous activity in the Nation Capital Region that appears to be consistent with IMSI catchers. DHS acting undersecretary Christopher Krebs wrote, "Use of IMSI catchers by malicious actors to track and monitor cellular users is unlawful and threatens the security of communications, resulting in safety, economic, and privacy risks. The DHS statement came in the form of a response to senator Ron Wyden, who had inquired about rogue cell-site simulators in a November letter. In spite of this step, though, observers find it unlikely that any group will move to defuse the threat in the foreseeable future. While it's not surprising that foreign intelligence groups or criminal actors would be cell-snooping in the nation's capital, the DHS statement is the first US government acknowledgement that sensitive political communications, not to mention those of anyone in DC, are at risk of interception by devices that are currently unaccounted for. Last week, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed for the first time that it is aware of unauthorized cell-site simulators, the surveillance tools often called stingrays or IMSI Catchers, in various parts of Washington DC.
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