The StingRay Is Why the 4th Amendment Was Written (2017)
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Re: The StingRay Is Why the 4th Amendment Was Written (2017)
#2Seems like a strong case for encryption. Why is it even possible for these devices to read your info?
Re: The StingRay Is Why the 4th Amendment Was Written (2017)
#3Seems like a strong case for encryption. Why is it even possible for these devices to read your info?
Encryption does not fix this completely even if you assume all texts and voice calls are encrypted. The metadata is equally important:
- your location in time and space
- the numbers you contacted
- the duration of contact
Re: The StingRay Is Why the 4th Amendment Was Written (2017)
#4Seems like a strong case for encryption. Why is it even possible for these devices to read your info?
Because phones are totally insecure.
The only secure option is using an external WiFi or cellular data router for Internet connectivity. The router can of course be geolocated. And adversaries may gain some access. But it should be possible to prevent access through it to the phone. That is, it's a firewall.
Then do end-to-end encrypted Internet stuff, messaging and VoIP. And by using some mix of VPNs and Tor, adversaries won't even see most metadata. Except for communication timing, of course.
See https://blog.torproject.org/mission-improbable-hardening-and...
Edit: But this still doesn't protect from some third party with root rights on the phone. For Android, the Copperhead OS might be enough. But I don't know enough to know. And for iOS, I suspect that you're stuck trusting Apple.
Re: The StingRay Is Why the 4th Amendment Was Written (2017)
#5Seems like a strong case for encryption. Why is it even possible for these devices to read your info?
One of the key functions of a cell tower is to know what devices are connecting to it. This is important information for things like routing calls, delivering messages, etc. As you say, all of that can and should be encrypted.
With that in mind, there's not really any kind of reasonable way to hide what devices are connecting to what tower. This is where location information comes from. It's really an inescapable part of how cellular devices work.
Inbound / outbound numbers are something that has to be available for similar reasons. There's also clear legal precedent making those accessible to law enforcement and not requiring a warrant. There's little to be gained by trying to encrypt them, even if it was possible.
Call and text comments are the things here that can be encrypted. It's not something the phone companies are in a rush to do.
Re: The StingRay Is Why the 4th Amendment Was Written (2017)
#6Do y'all remember the (likely fake, but widely reported) news about Israeli stingrays in DC a few months back, in September of this year? Whatever happened to that story? It was memory holed very quickly, which makes me suspicious that those weren't actually Israeli stingrays.
Re: The StingRay Is Why the 4th Amendment Was Written (2017)
#7Why does law enforcement bother? Can't they just get the info from the telcos?
Re: The StingRay Is Why the 4th Amendment Was Written (2017)
#8Why does law enforcement bother? Can't they just get the info from the telcos?
That requires a warrant. Surprised the FCC allows them to tamper with peoples phones tbh. Its all sketchy as heck and flawed if cases are dismissed when they question how the tech works.
Re: The StingRay Is Why the 4th Amendment Was Written (2017)
#9Seems like a strong case for encryption. Why is it even possible for these devices to read your info?
It’s actually more a case for authentication. Why don’t our phones authenticate cell towers when connecting to them? Why are providers so lax at enforcing that?
Re: The StingRay Is Why the 4th Amendment Was Written (2017)
#10Do y'all remember the (likely fake, but widely reported) news about Israeli stingrays in DC a few months back, in September of this year? Whatever happened to that story? It was memory holed very quickly, which makes me suspicious that those weren't actually Israeli stingrays.
I've read news reports that half the "cell towers" in DC are suspicious.
So it's not about one particular organization or foreign government doing shady stuff.
So "likely fake" => "almost certainly true." FTFY.