Sinaloa cartel-employed hacker targets FBI (U.S. Justice Department) via Mexico City surveillance cameras.
A shocking revelation has emerged from a U.S. Justice Department Inspector General report, detailing a significant security breach orchestrated by a hacker working for the Sinaloa drug cartel in Mexico. In 2018, the hacker was able to identify an FBI assistant legal attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and gain access to sensitive phone record information, compromising FBI operations against the cartel and its leader, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.
According to the report, the hacker used the FBI official's phone number to access call records and geolocation data. The hacker also infiltrated Mexico City's extensive surveillance camera system, enabling them to track the FBI official's movements and identify the individuals they met with, who were often informants cooperating with U.S. law enforcement.
The Sinaloa Cartel then used this intelligence to intimidate and, in several cases, kill those informants or cooperating witnesses, severely compromising FBI operations against the cartel. This incident occurred during the FBI's active investigation of the El Chapo case, increasing the stakes of this security breach.
The report emphasises the growing threat posed by criminal enterprises leveraging advanced technology and hacking capabilities to undermine law enforcement efforts. It also underscores the vulnerabilities in operational security when sensitive information can be accessed through exploits on mobile devices and municipal surveillance infrastructure.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the evolving nature of cyber threats and the need for heightened security measures to protect sensitive information and maintain the integrity of law enforcement operations. The FBI, State Department, and other relevant authorities have been contacted for comment regarding this matter.
- The report highlighted the use of advanced technology and hacking capabilities by criminal enterprises, such as the Sinaloa drug cartel, infiltrating general-news areas like Mexico City's surveillance camera system to compromise law enforcement operations, specifically in politics and crime-and-justice sectors.
- The hacker's ability to access sensitive phone record information of an FBI official in the general-news context of the El Chapo case demonstrates the vulnerabilities in operational security that can be exploited, thereby underscoring the significance of cybersecurity in politics and crime-and-justice arenas.
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