El Chapo’s Cartel Allegedly Killed Informants After Hacking an FBI Phone

World
By 24matins.uk,  published 1 July 2025 at 15h01, updated on 1 July 2025 at 15h01.
World

The criminal organization once led by El Chapo is suspected of targeting and killing informants after reportedly hacking into an FBI phone, raising serious concerns about the security of law enforcement communications and the safety of those cooperating with authorities.

Tl;dr

  • Sinaloa cartel hacked FBI operations, targeting witnesses.
  • Commercial UTS tools pose a major security threat.
  • FBI criticized for weak, uncoordinated countermeasures.

    • Mounting Unease Over Surveillance Tools

    The rise of ubiquitous technical surveillance (UTS) has dramatically shifted the balance of power in law enforcement. Once considered the prerogative of official agencies, these systems—now available commercially—enable systematic data collection and cross-referencing that can map connections between individuals, devices, and locations. As this technology proliferates beyond government use, organizations like the FBI find themselves grappling with what one internal report describes as an « existential threat ». The consequences are not hypothetical: tools originally designed to catch criminals are being turned against their creators.

    A Stunning Breach: The Sinaloa Cartel’s Counteroffensive

    In a chilling reversal, the Mexican Sinaloa cartel has managed to flip the script on its American pursuers. A recent report from the Department of Justice, brought to light by Ars Technica, reveals that cartel operatives recruited a hacker to infiltrate none other than the FBI‘s surveillance apparatus. Their objective was nothing short of audacious: track down key witnesses in the high-profile prosecution of drug kingpin Joaquín « El Chapo » Guzmán. According to investigators, intelligence gathered through these methods enabled intimidation—and in some cases, elimination—of those cooperating with authorities.

    The Hacker’s Arsenal Exposed

    Digging deeper into the incident, redacted portions of the report describe how this individual offered cartel leaders « a menu of services » for exploiting mobile phones and electronic devices. Notably, he managed to monitor activity around the US embassy in Mexico City, zeroing in on a deputy legal attaché (ALAT) associated with the federal bureau. By acquiring this official’s phone number, he gained access to call logs and geolocation data; leveraging urban camera networks, he tracked not only movements but also local contacts. The implications were immediate and severe: such intelligence reportedly facilitated coercion or worse against potential sources.

    An Agency Under Scrutiny—and Struggling to Respond

    Within the FBI, this breach has sparked concern—if not outright alarm. The internal review paints a picture of « disorganized and inconsistent risk management regarding UTS threats », highlighting glaring deficiencies in defensive measures rolled out since 2022. While recommendations were made to address these vulnerabilities, including:

  • integrating all known UTS weaknesses into a comprehensive security plan;
  • clearly assigning operational responsibility;
  • and improving training and incident response protocols—implementation remains uneven at best.

    • At a time when boundaries between those conducting investigations and those under surveillance are blurring at an unprecedented pace, one thing is clear: adapting to this new era will require far more than incremental change.