Sinaloa Cartel Used Phone Data and Surveillance Cameras To Find and Kill FBI Informants in 2018, DOJ Says

The Sinaloa drug cartel, designated as a foreign terrorist group, has been found to have infiltrated the FBI's operations in Mexico City. A hacker working for the cartel obtained an FBI official's phone records in 2018, which included call logs and geolocation data. The hacker used this information to track the official's movements through Mexico City's surveillance cameras. The cartel then used this information to identify and intimidate potential sources and cooperating witnesses. In some cases, the cartel even killed these individuals. The incident was disclosed in a US Justice Department report on the FBI's efforts to mitigate the effects of widespread technical surveillance. The report highlights the global proliferation of cameras and the thriving trade in communications, travel, and location data. The hacker was able to identify an FBI assistant legal attaché at the US Embassy in Mexico City and obtain their phone number. The cartel's actions were a significant breach of the FBI's operations and put the lives of informants and witnesses at risk. The incident raises concerns about the vulnerability of law enforcement agencies to cyber attacks and the need for improved security measures.