Digital vulnerabilities weaponized in transnational crime.

A cartel hacker exploited city cameras to target FBI sources

A chilling revelation from the US Justice Department has exposed how one of Mexico's most notorious drug cartels infiltrated surveillance systems to hunt down and eliminate FBI informants in Mexico City.

According to The Mirror, the Sinaloa Cartel, formerly led by notorious drug lord El Chapo, employed a sophisticated hacker who gained unauthorized access to Mexico City's camera systems and phone records to track both FBI informants and officials.

The discovery came to light through a Justice Department audit titled "Audit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Efforts to Mitigate the Effects of Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance."

The report revealed that the hacker offered various services related to exploiting mobile phones and electronic devices, raising serious concerns about the vulnerability of law enforcement operations. Cartel's Advanced Technical Capabilities Raise Alarms.

The hacker specifically targeted an FBI assistant legal attaché (ALAT) at the American embassy in Mexico City, obtaining their phone records and tracking their movements. This breach allowed the cartel to monitor the ALAT's communications, including incoming and outgoing calls, as well as precise location data through the city's surveillance network.

In 2018, a hacker recruited by Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel infiltrated Mexico City’s camera network and compromised the phone of a U.S. embassy official. Using this access, the cartel tracked meetings with potential FBI informants, some of whom were later intimidated or killed. The incident, revealed in a Justice Department audit, demonstrates how emerging digital threats are reshaping organized crime.

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