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In a letter to Senator Ron Wyden, the Department of Homeland Security has acknowledged that unknown users are operating IMSI catchers in Washington, D.C.:
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is acknowledging for the first time that foreign actors or criminals are using eavesdropping devices to track cellphone activity in Washington, D.C., according to a letter obtained by The Hill.
DHS in a letter to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) last Monday said they came across unauthorized cell-site simulators in the Washington, D.C., area last year. Such devices, also known as "stingrays," can track a user's location data through their mobile phones and can intercept cellphone calls and messages.
[...] DHS official Christopher Krebs, the top official leading the NPPD, added in a separate letter accompanying his response that such use "of IMSI catchers by malicious actors to track and monitor cellular users is unlawful and threatens the security of communications, resulting in safety, economic and privacy risks."
DHS said they have not determined the users behind such eavesdropping devices, nor the type of devices being used. The agency also did not elaborate on how many devices it unearthed, nor where authorities located them.
Also at Ars Technica and CNN.
Related: Police: Stingray Device Intercepts Mobile Phones
ACLU Reveals Greater Extent of FBI and Law Enforcement "Stingray" Use
US IRS Bought Stingray, Stingray II, and Hailstorm IMSI-Catchers
EFF Launches the Cell-Site Simulator Section of Street Level Surveillance
NYPD Making Heavy Use of Stingrays
New York Lawmakers Want Local Cops to Get Warrant Before Using Stingray
New Jersey State Police Spent $850,000 on Harris Corp. Stingray Devices
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Wednesday April 04 2018, @10:55PM
Oh, I think I see what you're saying now.... But I think the Stingray is *just* the IMEI interceptor - and not just IMEI but the full representational network string. A secondary device (*not* the "Stingray" and not necessarily directly hooked into the network) could MITM or otherwise monitor that phone's communication stream to intercept its communications. Those intercepted comms form the basis to frame a parallel construction - what is most likely wanted is to make SURE that they've got the right phone.... before they begin the legitimate warranting process.
The initial furor when Stingray came to light IIRC was when a prosecutor wanted to use that information, though, simply to establish presence. Intercepted comms weren't the issue - the court case was given up only because of IMEI Intercept is what I thought it was.
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