Spy kits
that can track mobile phones and intercept calls and messages have been
discovered in Washington and beyond, the US government has said.
The
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says it has observed "anomalous
activity" consistent with the use of so-called stingrays.
They could
be used by foreign spies or criminals, although the DHS said it did not know
who was using them.
It added
that such devices pose a "growing risk".
Stingrays, a
brand name for a type of International Mobile Subscriber Identity catcher
(IMSI), are mobile phone surveillance devices that mimic mobile phone towers.
The size of
a briefcase, the devices send out signals to trick mobile phones into
transmitting their location and identifying information.
As well as
tracking the mobile phone of a suspect, the devices also gather information
about phones of bystanders who are nearby.
It is
believed to be the first time the US government has acknowledged the use of
rogue spying devices in Washington.
The
revelation came in response to a letter from US senator Ron Wyden to the DHS,
asking about the unauthorised use of such devices.
The agency
response was obtained by the Associated Press from Wyden's office.
In it, a
senior official at the DHS acknowledged that it had "observed anomalous
activity in the National Capital Region (NCR) that appears to be consistent
with International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers".
It added
that it had observed similar activity "outside the NCR" but had
"not validated or attributed such activity to specific entities or
devices."
The use of
Stingray devices by police forces across the US is being tracked by the
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). It has identified 73 agencies in 25
states that own such devices but believes there could be many more in use which
are not formally declared.
There are
concerns among politicians in Washington that such devices could also be used
by unauthorised agencies, such as foreign governments.
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