The Feds Cracked El Chapo's Encrypted Comms Network By Flipping an Informant

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In summary, the FBI successfully cracked El Chapo's encrypted communications network thanks to the help of a former IT employee, Christian Rodriguez. Rodriguez was initially seen as a liability by the cartel due to his mistake of not renewing a license key, but the FBI was able to flip him and obtain the network's encryption keys. This has caused many drug lords and cartel members to be angry and seek revenge, even towards people who are not involved in any wrongdoing but simply share the same name as those who have cooperated with law enforcement.
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nsaspook
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I would not want to be that guy now that it's public he ratted out El Chapo. I hope he likes that remote cabin in Montana or whatever with that new identity.
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https://gizmodo.com/the-feds-cracked-el-chapos-encrypted-communications-net-1831595734
As has been previously reported by Vice, Colombian drug lord Jorge Cifuentes testified that Rodriguez had forgot to renew a license key critical to the communications network of Guzmán’s Sinaloa Cartel in September 2010, forcing cartel leaders to temporarily rely on conventional cell phones. Cifuentes told the court he considered Rodriguez “an irresponsible person” who had compromised their security, with a terse phone call played by prosecutors showing Cifuentes warned the subordinate he was in “charge of the system always working.”But on Tuesday it was revealed that the FBI had lured Rodriguez into a meeting with an agent posing as a potential customer much earlier, in February 2010, according to a report in the New York Times. Later, they flipped Rodriguez, having him transfer servers from Canada to the Netherlands in a move masked as an upgrade. During that process, Rodriguez slipped investigators the network’s encryption keys.

I'm sure none of the 1500 drug lords and cartel members he ratted on bears him any grudge, they're known to be a forgiving and kind-hearted folk who don't take loyalty all that seriously.
 

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There is a town, Rio Rancho in New Mexico US that had more than a few people living there under witness protection from the 1960's onward. Since the decade when the town first sprung up. My late wife had a DiCarlo last name. DiCarlos were the kingpins of the Mafia in New Orleans.

She was at the hairdresser Rio Rancho, lots of women talking, and somehow the topic of 'What was your maiden name?' arose. So, she said 'DiCarlo'. Dead silence. For the remainder of her visit. She never went back there again.

So the issue affects people who are totally outside of any wrongdoing, or outside of protection for cooperating with law enforcement.
 
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jim mcnamara said:
So, she said 'DiCarlo'. Dead silence. For the remainder of her visit.
LOL, although probably not so funny at the time. :smile:
 

What does "The Feds Cracked El Chapo's Encrypted Comms Network By Flipping an Informant" mean?

It means that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was able to access and decode the encrypted communications network used by the notorious drug lord, El Chapo, by leveraging information provided by an informant.

How significant is this accomplishment for law enforcement?

This is a major accomplishment for law enforcement as it allowed them to gather crucial evidence and intelligence on El Chapo's criminal activities. It also demonstrates their ability to break through sophisticated encryption systems.

What role did the informant play in this operation?

The informant provided the FBI with information on the encryption methods and codes used by El Chapo and his associates. This information was crucial in allowing the FBI to access and decode the communications network.

What impact does this have on the use of encryption in criminal activities?

This development showcases the vulnerability of even the most advanced encryption systems and serves as a warning to criminals that their communications may not be as secure as they think. It may also prompt law enforcement agencies to invest in more advanced decryption technologies.

Are there any ethical concerns surrounding the use of an informant in this situation?

The use of an informant in any criminal investigation raises ethical questions. However, in this case, the informant's assistance led to the capture and conviction of a notorious criminal, which may justify the use of their information. Ultimately, it is up to the legal system to determine the ethical implications of this operation.

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