|
deucedbi9
Stranger
Registered: 10/24/06
Posts: 4,613
Loc: UK
|
crime chat network cracked
#26799253 - 07/02/20 12:37 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53263310
"A top-secret communications system used by criminals to trade drugs and guns has been "successfully penetrated", says the National Crime Agency".
Dame Cressida Dick, whose force made 171 arrests and seized £13.3m in cash, described it as a "game changer".
She said: "This is just the beginning. We will be disrupting organised criminal networks as a result of these operations for weeks and months and possibly years to come."
An estimated 60,000 people, among them up to 10,000 in Britain, subscribed to France-based EncroChat, which has now been taken down.
The system operated on customised Android phones and, according to its website, provided "worry-free secure communications".
Customers had access to features such as self-destructing messages that deleted from the recipient's device after a certain length of time.
They got all your details and are working through them, Look out.
-------------------- whether low pressure sucks or high pressure blows... it's a bugger to cycle in. even though I'm feeling good Something tells me I'd better activate my prayer capsule
Edited by deucedbi9 (07/02/20 12:39 PM)
|
ChemicalSpark
Registered: 10/08/15
Posts: 2,059
|
Re: crime chat network cracked [Re: deucedbi9]
#26799263 - 07/02/20 12:40 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
What’s this “top-secret” communications system?
Edit: nvm, just read the rest of the article.
Edited by ChemicalSpark (07/02/20 12:46 PM)
|
Holybullshit
Stranger
Registered: 01/06/19
Posts: 1,562
|
|
Unstored PGP, combined with inconspicuous(yet secure and anonymous) means of transmission, is the only way to go. They sacrificed security for convenience...and this is the result.
Edited by Holybullshit (07/02/20 04:44 PM)
|
polaritymind
relaxed attention
Registered: 10/10/16
Posts: 994
Loc: Germany
Last seen: 5 months, 6 days
|
|
Dude this is just a regular messenger. Like even whatsapp is encrypted too, its on the same level. Writiing unsafe stuff on something like that seems like a foolish beginners mistake. I still do wonder how they did it though, they probably collaborated with the messenger company and got the encryption keys. Or maybe got them through a warrant. In that case I wonder if the whole thing is legal, some good lawyers might make a case for it. Because that shouldnt be legal, could make some headlines etc if it is. I do wonder sometimes how safe privnote really is and if the same fate will come to it at some point, I worry that it will.
-------------------- "to affirm life is to also affirm death" -Albert hofmann
|
NosmoKing
Stranger
Registered: 01/12/18
Posts: 189
Last seen: 2 years, 27 days
|
|
Quote:
they probably collaborated with the messenger company and got the encryption keys.
Article says the company sold the phones and a subscription. Provided they did a reasonable job, your approach would be the easiest.
Edited by NosmoKing (07/03/20 10:28 AM)
|
pineninja
Dream Weaver
Registered: 08/17/14
Posts: 12,468
Loc: South
|
|
Quote:
polaritymind said: Dude this is just a regular messenger. Like even whatsapp is encrypted too, its on the same level. Writiing unsafe stuff on something like that seems like a foolish beginners mistake. I still do wonder how they did it though, they probably collaborated with the messenger company and got the encryption keys. Or maybe got them through a warrant. In that case I wonder if the whole thing is legal, some good lawyers might make a case for it. Because that shouldnt be legal, could make some headlines etc if it is. I do wonder sometimes how safe privnote really is and if the same fate will come to it at some point, I worry that it will.
If I were "them" I'd best let you think its encrypted. No more coded messages to try and decipher just straight out orders weights and addresses.
If anybody had the tech to de encrypt itd be....
-------------------- Just a fool on the hill.
|
MrTinAZ
If only I knew
Registered: 07/01/20
Posts: 138
Loc: slightly north of Mexico
Last seen: 3 years, 7 months
|
|
Yeah I really don't get it. It isn't like there aren't options, WickR has worked well for me in the past. IDK if there are other better options now, it has been a few years since I had the need, but there are manysecure ways to communicate online if need be but people want to have no opSec and be lazy.
|
O_Dweeds
Humanitarian Magician
Registered: 09/27/14
Posts: 942
Loc: Molecular (Creating, Watc...
Last seen: 3 years, 1 month
|
Re: crime chat network cracked [Re: MrTinAZ]
#26803159 - 07/04/20 09:23 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
They think they can stop a priv note (or any self-destruct) sent through PGP; or at the very least tie some one down to it honestly?!
It's a fake celebration to tell the public this is why you need us coming into your lives and ruining them.
-------------------- Oxygen. Water. Neil Young Our word "planet" comes from the Greek word planetes, meaning "wanderer." "There ain't no revolution, only evolution, but every time I'm in Georgia I eat a peach for peace." Gregg Allman
|
Holybullshit
Stranger
Registered: 01/06/19
Posts: 1,562
|
|
No app like that is safe, if criminal activity on it reaches high enough levels to draw state interest. Doesn't matter how the app works, if they really want they'll just alter the software to do whatever they want and you'll never know. If your just a consumer you don't really have to worry...but there's a higher chance of never getting your parcel if your dealing with somebody operating on a time limit(before they go down).
The best thing to do is use PGP, generate your keys personally and don't store them electronically(and be careful how you transmit the public key), and use regular email. Something like protonmail would be best, but honestly any inconspicuous and anonymous email would do, even gmail...because then you are just a grain of sand on a giant beach that the state doesn't have the resources to comb.
I mean, you can use apps, or even irc, but you still need to generate your own keys...don't rely on their encryption.
If you're small time or just a consumer the above is fine otherwise, at least, be using a VPN the whole time.
The trick is YOU need to be generating your own PGP keys and those keys need to be generated completely separate from how you are transmitting. If you are relying on encryption that comes from the same software that is transmitting your "encrypted" messages, you are a patch away(at best) from being insecure.
It'd be even better if you shared your public key through a different method than how you will be communicating in the future.
Don't sacrifice security for convenience...but using a messaging app dedicated to criminal activity, no matter how it operates or what type of encryption they use, is just plain stupid.
Edited by Holybullshit (07/05/20 01:05 PM)
|
Holybullshit
Stranger
Registered: 01/06/19
Posts: 1,562
|
Re: crime chat network cracked [Re: O_Dweeds]
#26805234 - 07/05/20 12:55 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
They don't have to solidly tie the communications to the person, they just have to use it to get a warrant, once they bust down your door the communications won't really matter anymore.
In fact, they don't necessarily have to even get a warrant from the comms, just get you on camera shipping/receiving product.
The case isn't built on the intercepted comms, that just points them in the right direction.
And if you are relying on software to secure your comms, you are vulnerable. Something like privnote is only secure as the privnote server is...and as we've already seen repeatedly the feds can take over servers and keep operating them as honeypots pretty easily.
Edited by Holybullshit (07/05/20 01:09 PM)
|
chibiabos
Cosmic Pond Scum
Registered: 03/16/17
Posts: 4,180
Last seen: 1 year, 14 days
|
|
Quote:
polaritymind said: Dude this is just a regular messenger. Like even whatsapp is encrypted too, its on the same level. Writiing unsafe stuff on something like that seems like a foolish beginners mistake.
Looks like it was a service provider. Not too sure on the details about how it was supposed to be more secure than other services but I kind of doubt that they got attacked on account of the whatever encryption they were using on top of the normal GSM stuff.
|
chibiabos
Cosmic Pond Scum
Registered: 03/16/17
Posts: 4,180
Last seen: 1 year, 14 days
|
Re: crime chat network cracked [Re: MrTinAZ]
#26806050 - 07/05/20 11:44 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
MrTinAZ said: Yeah I really don't get it. It isn't like there aren't options, WickR has worked well for me in the past. IDK if there are other better options now, it has been a few years since I had the need, but there are manysecure ways to communicate online if need be but people want to have no opSec and be lazy.
Wickrme is closed source. You don't know how secure it is. I almost certainly lack the knowledge to properly research the app but I honestly doubt that there isn't any way to attack it if you really want to.
|
mescalinechemist
Registered: 07/02/18
Posts: 189
Last seen: 2 years, 4 months
|
|
Quote:
Holybullshit said: Unstored PGP, combined with inconspicuous(yet secure and anonymous) means of transmission, is the only way to go. They sacrificed security for convenience...and this is the result.
Seems like it!
|
sunniemuffins
Stranger
Registered: 05/17/20
Posts: 12
Last seen: 9 months, 25 days
|
|
Gotta be careful for sure
|
|