How intelligence agencies figure out on a mobile phone

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

There are a huge number of myths and conjectures about how exactly they can find an anonymous number of an anonymous mobile phone. We know the truth and now we will share it.

There are three common versions: determine the source of the radio signal, calculate with special equipment at the base stations of the cellular network and calculate through various hidden capabilities, supposedly specially available in each telephone.

We took part in the real investigation of the real case, where the criminal was identified by his mobile phone. And let's say the following: the first version contains a little truth, but the main method of capturing has nothing to do with all three.

Generally speaking, investigators and criminologists use cool special equipment and expensive equipment only in the cinema. In reality, the main tool of the investigator: his head and pieces of paper. And the main method - the language will not turn to say "deduction" - let's call it "search for patterns" or "statistics". And then there is such a thing as Time. Time is always against anonymity: we do something too on time, and something at the wrong time. And if somewhere there are logs of our affairs with time stamps, we cannot hide. And logs in mobile communications are kept for each byte. Further details.

HOW DO YOU CALCULATE WHO WORKS WITH THE LEFT SIM CARD?

You will not believe: on the "leading" phone - your real one. After carefully reading the next paragraph, you will understand how easy, simple and fast everything is. In the description, the term "switching on" is used - this is the moment when the "anonymous" device went online. So let's go, let's look at different situations:

Situation one:You are using an "anonymous" mobile phone, and the real one is nearby and switched on. Investigators request the logs of the entire cell in which the "anonymous" apparatus operates (worked). That's all they need to figure out you (and not only "hot on the trail", but also in a week, a month, slowly, in the armchair of their office with a cup of coffee). They make recursive selections by inclusion intervals and see who else was in the cell except for the "anonymous" device. For example, there were 1000 more phones in one cell. Next time you turn on 500 of those that were for the first time. At the next - 20 of those who were for the first and second time. Most often, it is possible to find exactly a couple of phones from the logs of three or four inclusions that do not leave the cell. Less often, more inclusions are required: in such cases, you can try to break through the history by the numbers of the sets of matches, as well as their owners. If this is a 90-year-old granny of which she has had a number for 10 years and she has not left the apartment for 5 years, then, obviously, the option disappears. Thus, the investigators quickly enough go to the real phone number, one call history on which will reveal all the cards. Often, the special services are lucky with 2 switches: quickly examine and discard hundreds of numbers - it's only a matter of the number of employees. It even happens that the real number is reached from the first and only inclusion of the "anonymous"! Don't believe me? But in vain. The dynamics in the cell, the behavior of other devices, weekdays / holidays can significantly simplify the work of the security forces. While the "anonymous" mobile phone is working, all the others can leave the cell, except for yours (well, the rest of the people took it and moved somewhere) or make outgoing calls, send SMS. Now is the time when every minute is without a mobile phone. And it scares you: you cannot simultaneously make outgoing calls from two phones. So while you are "working" from "anonymous" everyone who calls in your cell is getting out of suspicion and narrowing the ring around you. In addition, Mr. Chance is not on your side: the special services have logs in which all the data is complete, and you have a normal life with all the unpredictability. Example: You are surfing "anonymously" on the Internet and here they call you on your real phone. You start talking and your internet data traffic drops for a statistically different time from the time between average page loads. Matching all calls in the cell for an exact match with a traffic failure is a matter of seconds - and your number was found. It may be, of course, that you just went to the toilet, but after all, it is not difficult to check whether the required number has been “found”. And if you get a call twice?

The criminal turned on the device, sent an SMS demanding a ransom, turned it off. A day later he turned it on, called to discuss the terms of the ransom, turned it off. The third time I turned it on - I told the meeting place and time, turned it off. We examined the logs for three "inclusions" - who at that moment was in the cell all three times. From the second "reconciliation" there are four numbers left, from the third - one.

Situation two:You use an "anonymous" mobile phone, and you prudently turn off the real one in advance. Incredibly, you only made things easier for the investigators. They will just see who disconnected - it was disconnected (the phone transmits a disconnection signal to the network), and did not leave the network shortly before the appearance of the "anonymous" one. We can safely say that there will be only a few of these in the cell, or even you are the only one. To clarify the data, you can compare who turned on after the "anonist" was turned off. And, in the same way, to break through on grannies and others. As you can see, turning off this device when using the "left" only worsens anonymity.

Situation three:You leave the real phone at home switched on, and you yourself go to another cell, and only there you turn on the "anonymous" one. Thinking a tricky plan? But nifiga. Three factors still give out your real device. Firstly, the same scheme is worked out as in the first situation, only not one cell at a time, but several. First, one at a time, then the neighboring ones, and so on until it comes to comparing the cell of the "anonymous" with the hundredth of the present. Secondly and most importantly: your device is at home without an owner and cannot answer calls. Therefore, sooner or later there will be missed ones, which are also visible in the logs. It is only necessary to compare which device was used at all times to "turn on" the anonymous. Do you think many of the subscribers do not answer the phone all the time just at the time when you leave anonymous? Nobody but your real phone! In addition, this method helps well in general search: investigators can very quickly call the numbers, which remains after comparing the cell logs. And if the phone is not taken - as a suspect. Thirdly, you cannot leave this device anywhere - every time in a different place. Most likely he is at your home. That is, in one place for each inclusion. This can be used to construct an additional sample for the filter: how many of the same devices were in the same cell. In general, all this will lead to a quick, albeit slightly less rapid than in previous cases, access to the real number.

Situation four: You turn off your real phone at home, and you yourself go to another cell, and only there you turn on the "anonymous" one. See situation # 3 + situation # 2

It turns out that the whole scheme works on the fact that several inclusions are made from one number. That is, if you leave the number only once and then throw out your SIM card and phone, it will be impossible to find it?

This will only help if your "case" was once and there were no other similar cases and will never be. That is, the reality of all real "deeds" will not help. Changing numbers won't make it difficult to find a real phone. For example, in the same example about blackmail: how can changing the number help - after all, calls are made to the victim of the same one. Investigators will simply punch not on one number 3 inclusions, but three inclusions of different numbers. Similarly, "dark deals" on the Internet - numbers are easily combined according to a common "business". Let's say more - the frequent change of numbers only worsen the security. investigators will receive groups of numbers and can easily punch, for example, where the SIM cards are from. And catch you red-handed during the purchase of new ones or contact the "seller" who will make a "robot" or merge the number from which you called him. Anonymity is not a lack of identification data. This simply cannot be in the modern world. Anonymity is a good imitation of an ordinary, but not real, person.

WHAT GIVES SPECIAL SERVICES A REAL PHONE NUMBER?

We have considered how easy and simple it is to “break through” the real number of the suspect by his “anonymous” one. But what will infa give about a real phone? Yes all. In addition to the information on whom the number is issued, the investigators will see who you called. Surely there are many among them who know you personally. They will see who contributed to the account and how. Most likely, there are payments from a real card through an ATM or from a real WebMoney wallet, etc. That is, in fact, you sailed.

HOW DOES A MOBILE PHONE BE LOOKED?

A task force with a hand-held direction finder moves to the site in the area of operation of the cell in which the suspect's phone is located. This is not a screen with a dot, as shown in the films, but a simple radio receiver with an arrow that shows the signal strength and an antenna in the shape of the letter H, the letter Z, a tricky tube or a hyperbolic / parabolic dish (often several antennas are included in the kit for different operating conditions). The base station has information on exactly what frequency the sought device is currently operating. Oper tunes the receiver to this frequency, turns the antenna around him and looks at the arrow. From where the signal is strongest, it goes there. He enters the staircase, climbs the stairs and measures the signal. In this way he finds the required floor, then an apartment and that's it, the "anonymity" is over. In the cases we observed, the time from the entrance of the "gazelle" of operas to the entry under the white pens was 25 minutes. Considering how many of them were spent on the recommendation "open because we will open in any case", fees and withdrawal of the suspect - you can estimate how many, among dozens of houses, hundreds of entrances and thousands of apartments, they found the right one.

SO WHAT TO DO? ANONYMITY - A MYTH?

Above, we examined in detail that having a real personal mobile phone, we will never be anonymous, even from a newly purchased new phone and a SIM card just bought in the doorway without registration. As we said, accessible anonymity is a good imitation of an ordinary, but not real, person. And the absence of personality in general in our modern informational realities is simply impossible. After all, here you are, a person, sitting right here and reading this article. And there are LifeInternet counters and others at the bottom.

Real hackers, whose freedom, and, perhaps, life, depends on anonymity, do not use mobile phones in everyday life. They don't use it at all. Only one-time calls, skype, etc. And they have no "everyday" life. Eternal darkness, nothingness. There are no friends, no relatives, no habits and “favorite” places. That's what anonymity is. But, in fact, there is a full-fledged other life, other friends and other "places" on the Web. And, often, not only not worse, but also better than in real life. So it's not all that sad. Just not like most. However, this is no longer "anonymity." You have a name, albeit a nickname, but you are known by it, you have Internet friends and places where you can be found on the net. You can even be "punished" even without a trip to Siberia. Thus, it is easy to understand that not only anonymity is conditional, but also freedom, and “crime” and “laws” are not the same, but are relative to society. And "societies" are different.

After learning a little about the methods of work of investigators, you can take measures to improve security in each specific case: for example, in situation # 3, you can set an answering machine on a real phone or ask a friend to answer if they call. Register a real phone to a real grandmother to pass the "grandmother filter". Try to randomly combine situations, leave your phone in different places, etc. This will somewhat complicate the work of investigators, but also complicate your "dark activities". Will it help in the "X-hour"? Far from being a fact.

So think carefully, my young friend with criminal inclinations, is the game worth the candle at all, or maybe after one or two successful cases it would be better to buy an apartment, a car, some kind of white business and tie up with the "dark side" forever?