Schneier on Security

Cognyte Sells a Mobile Cell Surveillance Van

Refract AI Intelligence Digest

BLUF

Law enforcement agencies are acquiring advanced, indiscriminate mobile surveillance tools from foreign vendors.

NEWS

Cognyte has secured a contract with Texas to deploy FalcoNet, a mobile cell-site simulator capable of being hidden in vehicles or backpacks. This technology forces nearby phones to connect to the device, allowing authorities to monitor all devices in the vicinity regardless of suspicion.

Why I Care

This expands mass surveillance capabilities beyond targeted warrants, threatening the privacy of innocent civilians and enabling potential abuse by domestic law enforcement without judicial oversight.

Next Steps

Civil liberties groups should demand transparency on deployment policies; legislators must enforce strict warrant requirements for IMSI catcher use.

Yet another Israeli mass surveillance company: Made by Israeli surveillance company Cognyte, the tech simulates a mobile phone tower, which forces nearby phones to connect to it. That enables cops to keep tabs on any phones in the vicinity ­ whether they’re owned by a suspect in a case or not. Cognyte’s contract with the state of Texas reveals that the simulator, called FalcoNet, can be concealed within the vehicles, hidden in a backpack for on-foot missions or attached to a helicopter. It’s the same technology as the infamous Stingray, one of the original cell-site simulators made by defense giant L3Harris...
Back to Blog Listing

Source: Schneier on Security ·

This digest was generated by Refract AI Collective to help the public sector security community stay informed.