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submitted 1 month ago by MTZ@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[-] SnoringEarthworm@sh.itjust.works 151 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

In case you, like me, were wondering wtf stingrays are (besides a type of fish). This is from their report :

Cell-site simulators, also known as "Stingrays" or IMSI catchers, are devices that masquerade as legitimate cell-phone towers, tricking phones within a certain radius into connecting to the device rather than a tower

Cell-site simulators operate by conducting a general search of all cell phones within the device’s radius, in violation of basic constitutional protections. Law enforcement use cell-site simulators to pinpoint the location of phones with greater accuracy than phone companies. Cell-site simulators can also log IMSI numbers (unique identifying numbers) of all of the mobile devices within a given area.

...

The fact that government agencies are using these devices without the utmost consideration for the privacy and rights of individuals around them is alarming but not surprising. The federal government, and in particular agencies like HSI and ICE, have a dubious and troubling relationship with overbroad collection of private data on individuals.

[-] wetling@lemmy.world 29 points 1 month ago

When someone finds one of these simulators, what would they do?

[-] dhork@lemmy.world 59 points 1 month ago

Based on this link, the proper thing to do should be to report it to the FCC. I am not sure how much Trump's FCC will pay attention to the report, though....

[-] Chozo@fedia.io 29 points 1 month ago

Whatever you do, you shouldn't accidentally spill saltwater on it. That could destroy a very expensive piece of spying equipment, and would be a terrible, tragic accident that could interfere with the advance of nazism.

[-] Nastybutler@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago

You're thinking of magnets. That's how you ruin magnets.

https://youtu.be/rkIKEJPAUzM

[-] felixwhynot@lemmy.world 22 points 1 month ago

Report it to your favorite news media ig

[-] MTZ@lemmy.world 23 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Also alert your friends/colleagues that there are IMEI/IMSI scanners at the event, so that they can prepare accordingly by leaving their phone at home, putting it in a farraday bag, etc.

[-] artyom@piefed.social 16 points 1 month ago

It doesn't matter if there are IMSI catchers or not, they should be leaving their phones at home.

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[-] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 12 points 1 month ago

Find your anarchist friend with excess radio equipment and let them know.

[-] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 1 month ago

Wait, people didn't know about StingRays?

They've been around for like a decade now.

But uh, yeah, basically, they're fake/spoof/honeypot cell towers that man-in-the-middle all nearby cell network traffic.

This is how they do the whole... everything dragnet, all the time, basically all cop cruisers have them in them, active all the time, this is why you just don't bring your phone to a protest unless you really know what you're doing.

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[-] hypna@lemmy.world 66 points 1 month ago

Fucking cool, and also remember to leave your phone at home, or at least on airplane mode.

[-] TheWhetherMan@lemmy.world 49 points 1 month ago

In airplane mode and even while turned off, phones have been known to still transmit data via background services. Leaving it behind, or a Faraday bag are the only assured options I'm aware of

[-] ripcord@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Not while turned off, generally. Screen off, sure.

Edit: apparently at least some do

[-] Metz@lemmy.world 41 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

There is no such thing as "off" on modern Smartphones. Even if you power it down things like the baseband prozessor and bluetooth still stay active most of the time.

If the battery is integrated into device there ist no real way to completely shut this things down.

[-] PrimeMinisterKeyes@leminal.space 20 points 1 month ago

100%. That's why Snowden asked every visitor from the press to put their phones in the microwave before they started their interviews. Of course he didn't turn it on, it was to function as a Faraday cage.

[-] amino 6 points 1 month ago

microwaves don't work as faraday cages

[-] derek@infosec.pub 24 points 1 month ago

For the curious:

https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/746684/why-does-a-microwaves-faraday-cage-block-microwaves-but-not-larger-wavelength-r

The metal screen on the microwave door is designed to block the specific wavelength being used to heat your food. It isn't a full cage and isn't effective at blocking other frequencies.

[-] SinAdjetivos@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago

Yes. However the frequency it blocks is ~2.45GHz which is the same frequency as WiFi, Bluetooth, etc. and used to be the only other antenna other than the cellular antenna, where the frequency ranges from 600MHz-2.5GHz.

This used to be good practice because you would first remove the sim card disabling the LTE communication, unless the hardware was compromised, and then place it in the microwave to disable all other signals.

With the introduction and proliferation of eSIM on both devices and carrier sides, removing the SIM card no longer provides much protection and the additional of many other communication methods, most notably 5GHz 802.11x, the microwave trick doesn't really do anything either.

But it used to work.

[-] newaccountwhodis@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 month ago

wtf got a source on that? Sounds quite scary tbh

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[-] bagsy@lemmy.world 20 points 1 month ago

Thats not correct. Iphones and androids are never truly off. There are a few privacy focused phones by small makers with hardware switches for each radio. You can run android or linux on them.

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[-] atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works 25 points 1 month ago

Modern phones will still ping the Bluetooth low energy networks like Find My for Apple devices even when off or on airplane mode. That’s how things like AirTags work.

[-] seraphine 5 points 1 month ago

defeats the whole point of a phone imo. (for me personally) i only use it for music and communication. if I didn't want communication i would just use a desktop

[-] NotSteve_@piefed.ca 42 points 1 month ago

I believe they meant if you're going to protests

[-] seraphine 15 points 1 month ago

oh yeah in that case absolutely

[-] axexrx@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago

I just pictured someone doing the whole smash their phone and throw it out the window thing from a spy movie, but theyre just in traffic on their way to work, and it made me chuckle.

[-] MTZ@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago

Yes, this software was developed explicitly with protests in mind.

[-] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 61 points 1 month ago

It's been tested at actual protests FYI. It works.

Use your imagination what that means you can do when you find one.

[-] artyom@piefed.social 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

They've gone on record that they have not found anything at any protests so I'm not sure what you mean by "tested".

E: can someone explain why I'm being downvoted?

Theres a whole blog post about it.

[-] ServantOfRa 11 points 1 month ago

"So far Rayhunter has not turned up any evidence of cell-site simulators being used to spy on protests in the US — though we have found them in use elsewhere."

The article does point out that there are cheaper and easier options available that might be of greater concern.

[-] friend_of_satan@lemmy.world 46 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

What if the cops have a trace buster buster?

[-] MTZ@lemmy.world 70 points 1 month ago

Then you would just wanna bring along your trace buster buster buster.

[-] victorz@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month ago

[Busta Rhymes enters the chat]

[-] ZenAspirate@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 month ago
[-] MTZ@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago

PUT YA HANDS WHERE MY EYES CAN SEE

[-] scops@reddthat.com 9 points 1 month ago

Always crazy seeing a The Big Hit reference in the wild

[-] nulluser@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago

Who are you calling buster, buster?

[-] Neverclear@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 1 month ago

Hey, I'm not your buster, guy.

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[-] vildis@lemmy.dbzer0.com 32 points 1 month ago

Here is it working in action while law enforcement is flying a spy plane arouns a neighborhood

https://youtube.com/watch?v=d1tYv2gCd6k&t=483

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[-] brianary@lemmy.zip 9 points 1 month ago

What happened to all the phone apps that made an effort to detect IMSI catchers, like SnoopSnitch, which appears to be abandoned (F-Droid reports some fishy anti-features?).

[-] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago

Probably removed by the respective app stores under pressure from law enforcement agencies. A lot of free “snoop” or network detection apps have been removed or paywalled.

[-] krooklochurm@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 month ago

What is the correct hardware?

[-] MTZ@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago

Any of the 5 or 6 cheap wireless hotspots listed in the link in the article.

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[-] nope@jlai.lu 3 points 1 month ago
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this post was submitted on 18 Oct 2025
593 points (100.0% liked)

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