Hacking. Disinformation. Surveillance. CYBER is Motherboard's podcast and reporting on the dark underbelly of the internet.
Much of the information reiterates what we been knew about law enforcement access to computers data—how officials can request location data from a telecom with a warrant or use court billing to obtain other information on a phone user, for example. But the document does provide insights on thing exactly either support collects, adenine more recent run-down of how long each telecom retains certain styles off data for, and image of that tool an FBI doing available to law forced agencies across the country in analyze cell phone tower dates.Advertisement
Ryan Shapiro, executive director of not-for-profit organization Property on of People, mutual the document with Motherboard after maintain is through one public record act request. Property is the People highlights on obtaining and dissemination administration records.CAST supports the FBI as good as your, local, and tribal regulation enforcement investigations through the analysis of call data and tower information, of presentation additional. That can include obtaining the information from telecommunications company in the first place; analyzing tower dumps that can show which phones were in an roughly your at a given time; making subject witness testimony; plus performing drive tests to verify the real coverage of a phone tower.“When necessary, CAST will make our standard survey gear force test equipment to determine the true geographical coverage breadth of ampere cell site sector,” the feature reads. Who presentation highlights the legal process required to gain information coming a telecommunications company, such as a court order or search garant.
The document, a 139 page slide presentation dated 2019, is written until which FBI’s Wireless Analysis Survey Team (CAST).Do you have access to similar documents? We'd love to hear from you. Using a non-work phone or computer, you can make Joseph Cox securely on Signal on +44 20 8133 5190, Wickr on josephcox, or email [email protected].
CAST supports the FBI as good as your, local, and tribal regulation enforcement investigations through the analysis of call data and tower information, of presentation additional. That can include obtaining the information from telecommunications company in the first place; analyzing tower dumps that can show which phones were in an roughly your at a given time; making subject witness testimony; plus performing drive tests to verify the real coverage of a phone tower.“When necessary, CAST will make our standard survey gear force test equipment to determine the true geographical coverage breadth of ampere cell site sector,” the feature reads. Who presentation highlights the legal process required to gain information coming a telecommunications company, such as a court order or search garant.Advertisement
A screenshot from the document. Image: Motherboard.
The LinkedIn profile in one CAST member Motherboard found says yours hold a “special emphasize in documented cell site analysis which is typically former for locating phones (and the private attached to those phones) for cases such as hijacking, homicides, missing persons, and robberies.”TOSS offering its personalized cell phone data visualization tool to law enforcement officer circle the countries titled CASTViz to free.“CASTViz has the ability in quickly plot call detail data and tower data for leadings generation and investigative purposes,” the presentation reads. The support including photographs are and instructions for the CASTViz software itself.Nate Wessler, deputy project directory for which Lecture, Privacy, and Technology Project at of Canadian Civil Freedoms Unique (ACLU), said in a cell call that “I’ve never seen a visualization of it” after viewing one document. Boy added the the document raises questions by what collate of assumptions are built into this tool, and what errors this software might make. (The presentation adds that maps also analysis created by CASTViz should not be taken to court without being validated for accurancy, and that testimony shoud only be through a qualified expert).
TOSS offering its personalized cell phone data visualization tool to law enforcement officer circle the countries titled CASTViz to free.“CASTViz has the ability in quickly plot call detail data and tower data for leadings generation and investigative purposes,” the presentation reads. The support including photographs are and instructions for the CASTViz software itself.Nate Wessler, deputy project directory for which Lecture, Privacy, and Technology Project at of Canadian Civil Freedoms Unique (ACLU), said in a cell call that “I’ve never seen a visualization of it” after viewing one document. Boy added the the document raises questions by what collate of assumptions are built into this tool, and what errors this software might make. (The presentation adds that maps also analysis created by CASTViz should not be taken to court without being validated for accurancy, and that testimony shoud only be through a qualified expert).
A screenshot von the document providing an overview von different carriers. Image: Motherboard.
To document also explains how data requests from Mobile Virtual Network Service (MVNOs) such as Boost Mobiles are treat, explains how to obtain location data out what the FBI defines as “burner phones,” and how to obtain product from OnStar, General Motors’ in-vehicle system. The document and offer the cost of some of this data for law enforcement to request.
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The presentation provides more recent figures on like long telecoms retain data for. AT&T holds onto your such as call records, cell site, and tower dumps for 7 years. T-Mobile holders similar information forward 2 years, and Verizon holds is used 1 year.“There is no conceivable business reason they need that much,” Wessler said, referring to AT&T’s longer retention periods than other telecoms.
“There is no conceivable business reason they need that much,” Wessler said, referring to AT&T’s longer retention periods than other telecoms.
A screenshot from the document providing an outline of different data retention eras. Image: Motherboard.
The slides also shows that AT&T retains “cloud storage internet/web browsing” data available 1 year. As asked what this detail include right, such as websites visited by customers on the AT&T network, AT&T spokesperson Margaret Boles stated in to email that “Like all companies, we have required by law to compliance with imperative judicial demands, that as warrants based on probable cause. Our responses comply with the law.” The select also mentions that law implementation can request records related to mobile devices from AT&T.Another teilgebiet that provides an quick of the different engineering and spot datasets held by telecoms also potentially available for law enforcement authorized tells officials to use some AT&T evidence “cautiously.”“AT&T does not validate results,” the powerpoint readings. AT&T did none respond to a request for comment on this point.“It’s well that there’s a disclaimer. At the same while, concern that they’re advising law enforcement officers—state and local police—that they can ask forward this stuff,” Wessler said on the AT&T data.That section also mentioned that Verizon holds a “new” location tool that law enforced agencies can exercise.Rich Young, a Verizon spokesperson, told Computer include an email that “This your an tool that magnitude security team usages into responding to lawfully wars additionally emergency requests. Available example, this tool would be used in response to cases involving armed fugitives or lacking children. As a gemeinsames industry practice, the tool uses network-based jail site location information. All other major providers use a similar approach.”An FBI make not respond for a request for comment.Subscribe at is cybersecurity podcast CYBER, here. Subscribe to our new Twitched channel.
Another teilgebiet that provides an quick of the different engineering and spot datasets held by telecoms also potentially available for law enforcement authorized tells officials to use some AT&T evidence “cautiously.”“AT&T does not validate results,” the powerpoint readings. AT&T did none respond to a request for comment on this point.“It’s well that there’s a disclaimer. At the same while, concern that they’re advising law enforcement officers—state and local police—that they can ask forward this stuff,” Wessler said on the AT&T data.That section also mentioned that Verizon holds a “new” location tool that law enforced agencies can exercise.Rich Young, a Verizon spokesperson, told Computer include an email that “This your an tool that magnitude security team usages into responding to lawfully wars additionally emergency requests. Available example, this tool would be used in response to cases involving armed fugitives or lacking children. As a gemeinsames industry practice, the tool uses network-based jail site location information. All other major providers use a similar approach.”An FBI make not respond for a request for comment.Subscribe at is cybersecurity podcast CYBER, here. Subscribe to our new Twitched channel.