The U.S. government is reportedly using spy airplanes equipped with special military-grade snooping equipment to eavesdrop on cell phone information from millions of smartphone users in U.S, according to a new report...
This little device, nicknamed "Dirtbox", is being used to mimic mobile phone tower transmissions from the sky and gather data from millions of mobile phones, helping the US Marshals Service track criminals while recording innocent citizens’ information.
The purpose of the device is supposedly to track a specific target, but if active, all mobile devices in the particular area will respond to the signal. The Dirtbox causes smartphones to transmit back the users’ location, registration information and identity data – uniquely identifying IMEI numbers stored in every mobile device, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The name Dirtbox is given after the initials of Digital Receiver Technology, Inc. (DRT), a Boeing Company subsidiary that allegedly manufactures these devices. These two-foot-square snooping devices imitate cellphone towers and thus make contact with all handsets in the range.
"DRT has developed a device that emulates a cellular base station to attract cell phones for a registration process even when they are not in use," Boeing said in a 2010 filing [PDF].
The operation began in 2007 and according to the WSJ, a "source familiar with the program" said that these devices are fitted onto Cessna aircraft and fly from at least five metropolitan airports in the US. The planes cover the majority of the US population.
The dirtboxes operate in the same way as the so-called mobile phone surveillance tool IMSI (International mobile subscriber identity) catchers or Stingrays, that is in use by over 46 agencies including the law enforcement, the military, and intelligence agencies across 18 states and Washington, D.C. for more than a decade.
StingRays are common surveillance devices that allow law enforcement to mimic a cell phone tower, and track users position who connect to it, and sometimes even intercept calls and Internet traffic, send fake texts, install spyware on a phone, and determine precise locations.
Both Stingrays and Dirtboxes make use of "off-the-shelf" components to gather mobile phones’ International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) which is a unique code to each device. They can be used to track individuals’ movements via their mobile phone devices but work indiscriminately, hovering up information from a general area.
The US Department of Justice – which oversees the marshal service – has neither confirmed nor denied the existence of the Dirtbox program, but anonymous sources familiar with their use said the flying spies-in-the-sky were technically above board.
The WSJ quotes one source as stating, "What is done on US soil is completely legal….., Whether it should be done is a separate question."
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog
ReplyDeleteand wanted to mention that I have truly loved browsing your weblog posts.
After all I will be subscribing on your feed and
I hope you write again very soon!
Feel free to visit my web blog ... como ganhar dinheiro
You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation however
ReplyDeleteI find this matter to be really something which I believe I
would by no means understand. It sort of feels too complicated and extremely extensive for me.
I am looking ahead in your subsequent post, I'll try to get the dangle of it!
My blog post Honda Motorcycle Parts
Now I know sufficient about odds that you can get
ReplyDeletesome incredibly strange patterns and distributions on roulette test wheels - which is why Martingale
program is a really negative idea, nonetheless occasionally you just get the impression some thing is not
very appropriate. Roulette is a game that can be especially very good to play on-line because you can use specific systems to enhance your possibilities of winning -
and you can do so fairly substantially.
First of all I want to say fantastic blog! I had a quick question which
ReplyDeleteI'd like to ask if you do not mind. I was curious to know how you center yourself and clear your mind before writing.
I've had a tough time clearing my mind in getting my thoughts out.
I truly do take pleasure in writing but it just seems like the first 10
to 15 minutes are lost simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any
suggestions or tips? Many thanks!
my website ... online casino uk review
cߋnstantly i useɗ to reaԀ smaller аrticls which alsoo cleaг their motive, and that is also happening with this аrticle whіch I am reading now.
ReplyDeletemy wweb blog :: marbella real estate
Hllo Dear, are you genuinely visiting this web page daily, if so afterwrd you will definitely obtain nice know-how.
ReplyDeleteAlso visit myy blog ... m88
Hey there just wanted too give you a quick heads up.
ReplyDeleteThe words inn your post seem to be running off the
screen inn Firefox. I'm not sure if this is a format
issue or something to do with browser compatibility but I figured I'd post to leet you know.
The style and esign look great though! Hope you get the problem fixed soon.
Kudos
Takee a look at my web page; 12bet
hey there and thank you for your information – I've certainly picked up something new from
ReplyDeleteright here. I did however expertise a few technical issues using this website, since I experienced
to reload the web site many times previous to I could
get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your web host is OK?
Not that I am complaining, but slow loading instances times will sometimes affect your placement in google and can damage your high-quality score if ads and marketing with Adwords.
Anyway I am adding this RSS to my email and can look out
for much more of your respective exciting content.
Ensure that you update this again soon.
My web-site my website
The 10" Wusthof Sharpening Steel is made of 10" high carbon, stainless
ReplyDeletesteel. Soon after all to hurt a knife like
this will be a tragic event in fact. When you first start using the sharpener you ensure the belt is centered on the wheels without the
guides, a simple squeeze of the trigger will show how centered the belt is when you start.
Stop by my homepage :: kitchen knives
ReplyDeleteAlso visit my website male enhancement products
Hi! I've been following your site for a long time now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you
ReplyDeletea shout out from Dallas Texas! Just wanted to tell you keep up the
excellent job!
Stop by my blog post - engineered flooring
ReplyDeleteHere is my website ... extenze drink what does it do
What a presentation !!!!…simply superb one.
ReplyDelete