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U.S. planes spy on American phones

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By Jose Pagliery @Jose_Pagliery November 14, 2014: 9:29 AM ET

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NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Federal law enforcement agents fly small planes loaded with gear to
spy on Americans' cell phone calls.

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On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources, revealed the extent of the
program: Federal government gathers the data from Cessna airplanes and can cover most
of the U.S. population.
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These
devices typically trick phones into sharing its location data and revealing the
More Data Security
phone's identity.
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CNNMoney
has independently confirmed that at least one federal agency, Immigration
and Customs Enforcement, has used this technology on planes since 2010, according to
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government
documents. The planes carry a box that serves as a dummy cell phone site.
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That device mimics actual towers, duping nearby cell
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phones into connecting to it instead of a real phone
company tower.

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more

"This is a disturbing progression of the federal government's use of this technology, "
Nathan Freed Wessler, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney in New York told
CNNMoney. "What's different about this... is that it vastly increases the number of
completely innocent bystanders whose information is being swept up by law
enforcement."

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An official at the Department of Justice would not confirm or deny the use of flying spoof
cell towers. He said any discussion would let criminals and foreign governments
"determine our capabilities and limitations." The official told CNNMoney that any tactics
used comply with federal law.

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Related: How the NSA can 'turn on' your phone remotely
This news is the latest revelation about the extent of surveillance on Americans by their
government. This type of spying has increased dramatically since the September 11, 2001
terrorist attacks.

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Local police and federal agents make widespread use of these types of devices. Public
records, such as this Florida court transcript, have revealed that police use this technology
to gather information about suspects.

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"Stingrays," for instance, are machines that also spoof legitimate company cell phone
towers.

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Public records have allowed the ACLU to build a map that shows what states use
Stingrays. Besides that information, though, little is known about how they're used or
approved by the courts.

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Police agencies refuse to disclose information about the devices. Law enforcement
agencies have non-disclosure agreements with the maker of Stingrays: the Harris
Corporation based in Melbourne, Florida.
News organizations and the ACLU have petitioned government agencies to learn more
about the use of fake cell phone towers.

First Published: November 13, 2014: 7:11 PM ET

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Newest Oldest

99the99

2 days ago

Did you all forget 9/11? Let them fly their spy planes. Hell let them make a
device that can read your thoughts. You all whine like babies when the
government "invades" your privacy, but if you have nothing to hide then
why do you care? Are you a rebel? Are you conspiring to take down the
government? Then shut up
Flag Share

Like

Hamza Siddiqi

Reply

21 hours ago

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@99the99 couldn't have said it better

Flag Share

itsnotwhtuno

Like

Reply

Like

Reply

3 days ago

Oh, this one's going to go over like a lead balloon. Pun intended.
Flag Share

William Brown

4 days ago

Please, stop thinking of "the government" and start thinking about the
people that do these things.
Normal people do not want to spy on their neighbors, to track their every
movement, to even posesses the systems and devices for activating
cameras and microphones on people, for collecting and archiving data to
manipulate society. Normal people don't want to steal data to gain power
and wealth and influence. If your neighbor was doing this to people in
town, we'd throw that person under the jail.
The people that do these things, that even build such systems, that weild
them are not normal. They are greedy, they are manipulative, they are
operating in their own self-interests or on behalf of individuals that can
afford these services. Ultimately, society doesn't gain from it, as it is quite
apparent now, and ultimately only the extremely wealthy that can afford
to engineer society itself are benefiting from it.
We're allowing our own energy and assets to be used against us. You go
to work every day to pay a large portion of your tax money to fund these
operations. Not to build better schools, not to improve your community,
but instead to build the framework for a totalitarian regime of hyper
wealthy people to control you.
And still we have pathetic people who believe that nothing bad will come
from this. I'm not sure if it is ignorance or apathy, but in either case, it's
truly frightening. We're quite literally just a few years away from a
massive, negative shift in governance.
Flag Share

Lagertha

Like Reply

5 days ago

Anything that discourages the use of cell phones in public is ok by me.

Flag Share

Like

Equal41All

Reply

5 days ago

Government never lives up to the standards of law or morality it imposes

on its people. It's an organized hypocrisy.
Flag Share

Steve Granzyk

Like Reply

Like Reply

4 days ago

@Equal41All So it's like religion?

Flag Share

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Happy Brain

5 days ago

I wonder if "they" would act on such ignominious activities, even, if islam

was not the problem?
Is it islam specific, or a natural tendency for the administration to thumb
more control over its citizens?
Flag Share

Happy Brain

Like

Reply

5 days ago

I wonder if "they" would act on such ignominious activities, even, if islam

was not the problem?
Is it islam specific, or a natural tendency for the administration to thumb
more control over its citizens?
Flag Share

levyy

Like

Reply

Like

Reply

5 days ago

Nazi style America: If you like it, you can keep it.
Flag Share

George Gray

5 days ago

Where's the written mandate from the voters for this program?
The Constitution "We the People" isn't legal authority until after it's been
approved by living voters. Each of us has to define his risk before
cooperating with strangers.
Note that it's not possible for the gov't to just impose an unapproved
constitution in the same nation where the gov't derives its "just powers
from the consent of the governed." -- U.S. Declaration of Independence.

Flag Share

PatriotVet76

Like Reply

5 days ago

CNN: You blew it! NOTHING ILLEGAL HERE! READ MORE:

Cell phones are small radio transmitter/receivers. They operate on
publicly known and regulated (by the FCC) frequencies. Once a cell phone
transmission leaves your phone, it can be intercepted by ANYONE with a
receiver tuned to that frequency.
Just like when you operate and talk on a CB (citizens-band) or Family
Radio Service (FRS) transceiver, anyone with a receiver tuned to the CB or
FRS channel can listen to your conversation.
Your conversations on these devices (cell phones, CB, and FRS radios) are
NOT private, and you have absolutely no legal expectation of privacy. It

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would be the same as a person shouting outdoors, in public. Anyone,

within range of your voice, can listen, legally. You have no legal right or
expectation of privacy
Again, to reiterate, you have no LEGAL expectation of privacy when you
transmit your voice on a radio transceiver (e.g., a cell phone), and you can
be listened to, legally, by anyone!
Sorry, CNN!
Flag Share

SoCalJasonla

Like Reply

5 days ago

@PatriotVet76 Your phone conversations are supposed to be

private and only accessible with a warrant but I guess you don't
care about freedom. Kind of a stupid screen name you picked if
you ask me.
Flag Share

Pang Chartev

Like Reply

5 days ago

@PatriotVet76
Actually, you're wrong.
And might I add, a boot lick with a goofier user name than even
me. lol
Flag Share

Equal41All

Like Reply

5 days ago

@PatriotVet76 Really? So if I intercept classified military

communications there is no expectation of privacy? If I
intercept sat TV signals, there is no expectation of privacy?
Let me clean up your misinformation: If ANY FORM of security
is included to secure that transmission, such as encryption or
authentication, then the expectation of privacy is instantly
established and quite apparent to anyone.
Flag Share

Lagertha

Like Reply

5 days ago

@PatriotVet76 The funny thing is that many cell phone users

DO shout outdoors while speaking into their phone. Who
needs a drone?
Flag Share

dwy247

Like Reply

5 days ago

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary

safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."- Benjamin Franklin
Flag Share

Like Reply

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Equal41All

5 days ago

@dwy247 but but but I get the illusion of security and that
makes me feel good.
Flag Share

itsnotwhtuno

Like Reply

3 days ago

And narcotics can give you the illusion of happiness, and that
makes you feel good too.
Flag Share

jimmypowder

Like

Reply

5 days ago

Whatever happened to probable cause? I'm all for catching the bad guys
and would love nothing more then to see the terrorists who hate us
buried 6 feet under .
But this country was founded on certain protections by the Constitution.
If i wanted a spy country I would move to Russia or China.
Flag Share

santiagodraco

Like Reply

5 days ago

Gotta love how CNN is able to interpret "everything" and "ALL your
information" from a device that only gets your LOCATION. CNN do you
actively make it a point to be inaccurate and lie in your stories for
readership? You guys are really the lowest of the low.
Get your facts straight and stop trying to incite anger over your own false
facts. One day you will be sued and you won't able to hide behind
"absence of malice". BTW the broadcaster sounds like such a drama
queen.
Flag Share

cappysw10

Like Reply

Like Reply

5 days ago

Yawn
Flag Share

TwistedAegis

5 days ago

Foreign governments?! This is on OUR SOIL. We, the people, need to

know.
Flag Share

lax1

Like Reply

Like Reply

5 days ago

9/11...the gift that keeps on giving.

Flag Share

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JackieRo

5 days ago

@lax1 Kind of reminds you that the terrorists did win, not only
with the loss of life, but with the loss of American privacy.
Technology means we're never really having a private moment.
Flag Share

TwistedAegis

Like Reply

5 days ago

@JackieRo @lax1 Terrorists absolutely did win. The goal was

never to invade the US or kill us all, that's stupid and what the
politicians use to scare everyone. Terrorists don't have the
numbers or money to do so - that's why they're "terrorists" and
not "soldiers" or "armies".
They turn you against yourself and let you cause your own
demise, wasting huge amounts of money and stomping our war
machine around the world, making even more terrorists when
we kill something like 10-100 civilians for every actual terrorist.
Flag Share

OscarMeyer

Like Reply

6 days ago

This technology has been around for years. It's only the Obama
administration that has really started to use it. For what purpose, we
don't really know. But I'm not worried as they can spy on me all they want
because I don't do anything wrong. I doubt it's being used for citizens, but
I wouldn't put it past this administration to use it for spying on political
activities.
Two more years until the bum in office is gone.
Flag Share

Like

George Streeter

Reply

6 days ago

@OscarMeyer How could you possibly know that this was not
in use before Obama unless you are NSA? It was Bush who
first signed the Unpatriot Act.
Flag Share

cappysw10

Like Reply

5 days ago

@George Streeter @OscarMeyer Bush is too stupid to know

what this was about.
Flag Share

Equal41All

Like

Reply

6 days ago

@OscarMeyer "It's only the Obama administration that has

really started to use it"

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LOL. Shyeaaaah right. You must have just come off the boat...
Flag Share

Pang Chartev

Like Reply

5 days ago

@OscarMeyer
You're spouting lies, but no, you are not a wiener today oscar
meyer lol.
Nice try on blaming Obama though, you desperate teabillies
are always good for a laugh.
Flag Share

itsnotwhtuno

Like Reply

3 days ago

Ah, yes; the I-blame-Obama-for-the-Fall-and-everythingthereafter crowd made it to the party.

Flag Share

Ben MacLeod

Like

Reply

6 days ago

Whether you have anything to hide or not is not the issue. The issue is
how do you keep elections fair if the administration in charge has a history
of everything anyone has ever done? You have no idea how much
information can be weaned from this data when you have everyones data.
This is extremely dangerous for the future of this country. It's criminal
action.
Flag Share

itsnotwhtuno

Like Reply

3 days ago

Really; I don't see why they bother. Phone companies and

corporations collect this sort of information all the time. It's
called "demographics", and they make profitable use of it
themselves or sell it to marketers. So all federal law
enforcement has to do is either buy it, or hack in and steal it.
Flag Share

DarthSavage1220

Like

Reply

6 days ago

"If you're not doing anything wrong, you shouldn't be worried about the
government spying on your phone/email/internet"
The most used, and the least American, justification for the increased
invasion of privacy by our government
Flag Share

rtschier

Like Reply

6 days ago

@DarthSavage1220
Don't worry, no one - including yourself and myself - are
remotely that important.

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Flag Share

Like

George Streeter

Reply

5 days ago

@rtschier Not the point. The gov should not be on a fishing

expedition at the expense of the privacy of the citizens. Maybe
you don't care if people rifle around in your underwear drawer
but many people find that to be intrusive and no one else's
business.
Flag Share

jcmo24

Like Reply

6 days ago

Listen to my cell phones calls, read my text messages, read my personal

email, I really don't care. I have nothing to hide. In spite of all of the other
garbage the government pulls, I am still afforded the right to freely voice
how poor I believe our current administration is performing, I still have
the right to live my life as I choose, to pursue happiness and enjoy the
liberties of this great country. I drive to work each day with little concern
that a car bomb will explode next to me or that a suicide bomber will blow
himself up in the middle of a downtown street. I believe that I have a God
in heaven that watches over me and He has provided the means and
technology to provide a safer place to live. I don't think most Americans
really understand the threats that exist to our country and while it may
necessary to invade my space a little, it is a sacrifice I am willing to make to
ensure my freedoms and protect my family from the true evil that exists
with groups like ISL and Al-Qaeda. God bless the men and women who
work and fight each day to protect this great country and continue to
keep it safe.
Flag Share

ValeriKastof

Like Reply

6 days ago

@jcmo24 Well you are part of the problem. You believe in God
in heaven watches over you and gives technology. You are
willing to sacrifice liberty and "freedoms" because ISIL might
explode a bomb while you are driving in your car from your
suburban home to your dead end job. Scared much?
Flag Share

rtschier

Like Reply

6 days ago

@ValeriKastof @jcmo24
What problem ? I don't see it as a problem at all.
Flag Share

JackieRo

Like

Reply

6 days ago

@jcmo24 Whether you have something to hide or not is NOT

the issue. They shouldn't be doing it in the first place.
Flag Share

existenceonl

Like Reply

6 days ago

@jcmo24 even if I didn't have anything to hide ,theres a space

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called'Mine" that I don't want anything or anybody messing

with. I believe its called,..... privacy .
Flag Share

George Streeter

Like Reply

5 days ago

@jcmo24 "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to

purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor
Safety." Ben Franklin
Flag Share

TwistedAegis

Like Reply

5 days ago

@jcmo24 You're right, putting incredibly sophisticated masstracking of people wouldn't allow them to monitor the
population, learn how better to control us via how we react to
everything they do, etc.
Flag Share

RobertOre

Like Reply

5 days ago

" I have nothing to hide"

You are not the one who gets to decide if you have "nothing to
hide".
Flag Share

Pang Chartev

Like

Reply

5 days ago

@RobertOre
i sure do decide, i don't have to use a cell phone for starters
Flag Share

kelkeleb

Like

Reply

6 days ago

If the federal government wants to hear me exchanging in baby-talk with

my girlfriend, be my guest. Hope we've made a couple of agents laugh.
Flag Share

ValeriKastof

Like Reply

6 days ago

If information is being radiated through public airways it isn't spying.

Plus they aren't listening into conversations using this method, it isn't
possible. They are collecting information about the location of cell phone
users and matching them with IMEI numbers. The network providers keep
a similar database.
Flag Share

Kjell Beilman

Like Reply

5 days ago
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@ValeriKastof Once someone has your IMEI its not hard to

track you or "spoof" your cell phone given the correct technical
prowess. And these people have that prowess!
Flag Share

redprint

Like Reply

6 days ago

This isn't half of what the US government, and state and local law
enforcement agencies are using currently to spy on people. But hey, if you
don't want to be spied upon, don't use a cell phone. It is that easy.
Whether any of you think that this is illegal or not, doesn't matter. You
will be monitored no matter what law is in effect. You all might of well live
with it, because it won't stop. It has been happening forever, and now we
just start to complain about it?
Flag Share

Like Reply

Show More Comments

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