Have you ever thought that security cameras could become instruments of death? In Mexico City it really happened: a hacker from the Mexican cartels violated the city's video surveillance system and the telephone data of an FBI agent to identify and eliminate informants who were collaborating with the American authorities. It's 2018, the FBI is investigating Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, and someone from the Sinaloa cartel decides to exploit technology to turn the tables. The result? Murders and a government report that today tells us how digital surveillance has become a double-edged sword.
When technology becomes an accomplice
The story emerges from a 47-page audit published by the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Justice. The document reveals how a hacker at the service of the Sinaloa cartel managed to identify an FBI legal assistant at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.
The cybercriminal first observed who was coming and going from the embassy, then obtained the federal agent's phone number. At that point had access to the logs of calls made and received, as well as geolocation data.
But the most disturbing thing was the use of surveillance cameras. Mexico City had installed over 18.000 cameras in 2018, thinking it would increase security. Instead, The hacker turned them into a manhunt network, following the FBI agent through the city and identifying everyone he met with.
Mexican Cartels, the Menu of Criminal Services
As I was pointing out to you in this article, hacking operations have become increasingly sophisticated. The Justice Department report reveals that the Sinaloa cartel had hired a hacker who offered “a menu of services” to hack cell phones and other electronic devices.
The epilogue of this criminal operation is tragic: according to the FBI agent cited in the report, the cartel he used this information to intimidate and, in some cases, kill potential sources or witnesses who were cooperating with authorities.
The Nightmare of Pervasive Surveillance
This story makes us reflect on something deeper: we live immersed in what experts call “ubiquitous technical surveillance.” Our every move is tracked by cameras, our every call leaves digital traces, every credit card transaction reveals where we’ve been.
The Department of Justice report is explicit: Technological advances have made it easier than ever for less sophisticated nations and criminal organizations to identify and exploit vulnerabilities created by this widespread surveillance.
Derek Maltz, former DEA administrator, explains that Mexican cartels run multi-billion dollar businesses and use sophisticated technology to enhance their criminal operations. They are no longer simple drug traffickers: they have become high-tech organizations that use the same technologies designed to protect us.
The paradox is clear: the surveillance technologies that are supposed to ensure our safety can become the most effective tools to persecute us. When even the FBI struggles to protect its agents from these threats, we should start asking ourselves how safe we really are in this hyper-connected and constantly monitored world.
