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by bittermang 2720 days ago

The elephant in the room that this article highlights, but never addresses.

A mobile phone has become a de facto a requirement for illegal commerce, as described, and to me presents a pretty huge single point of failure.

And yes, I know, EVERYBODY has a phone. But I don't. Why would I want to carry a police officer in my pocket? Especially if I'm a criminal.

3 comments

stuaxo 2720 days ago

Tonnes of people buy things like this right now, on their personal phones using text messages to people that they actually go and meet (or their drivers), using no encryption whatsover.

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TylerE 2720 days ago

That's why you'd use a burner.

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bigiain 2720 days ago

Depending on your adversary, you need to be super careful to not make the single mistake that'll blow your cover there. If that burner ever gets switched on or off at your home, or if it only ever gets switched on/off at the same location as a phone registered in your name, or if it commonly travels exactly the same route as your phone...

I'm guessing "they" won't go to those sort of investigative lengths for theoretical retail customers of a theoretical Dropgang. I'd expect a vendor to be targeted using those sorts of techniques though.

And none of that data ever goes away... Who knows what law enforcement might choose to do with those sorts of leads in the future?

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TylerE 2720 days ago

If you’re sufficiently paranoid just use a new phone for every single call.

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stef25 2719 days ago

Impossible here in Belgium now since the terror attacks.

Tourists are having a hard time buying sim cards when they come here. Don't even know if it's possible at all.

Dealers don't rotate their numbers so much any more, so I was told.

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zzzcpan 2720 days ago

Dead drops don't require a phone, only something to take a photo of the hiding place.