ICYMI, from Reuters:

@briankrebs One again, I'd be remiss in not mentioning that there's a straight line between the CALEA telecom wiretap capability mandates and Salt Typhoon.

@mattblaze @briankrebs Meanwhile, stored deep inside a server inside China, this message:

CALL LOG: "Dad? It's me. I'm in the driveway. Can you open the garage? I can't find my remote control."

CALL LOG: "Can't you park the car and look for the remote?"

CALL LOG: "But, it's easier to call you so you can open the garage!"

@mattblaze @briankrebs @ai6yr So now they know
- your phone number,
- your dad's phone number,
- your voice,
- your dad's voice,
- your phone or phone OS,
- the location you're calling from,
- the approximate location of your dad's house,
- that you live with your dad or are visiting him,
- that your dad has a house with a driveway,
- and that there is a garage there.
This is metadata that, when combined with other metadata, can paint an alarmingly accurate picture of you.

@ron_olafsson @mattblaze @briankrebs @ai6yr
...multiplied by millions of people, in every corner of the country. All the data extrapolation waiting there,
- population densities
- family size averages
- local and regional events
- almost any financial transaction

There's too much value to count it all.

Because local-first data principles aren't the law, we have this bullshit closed cellular network (apt name, btw), that's totally exploitable like this. Might as well pee with the door open.

@mattblaze @briankrebs @ai6yr So now they know
- your phone number,
- your dad's phone number,
- your voice,
- your dad's voice,
- your phone or phone OS,
- the location you're calling from,
- the approximate location of your dad's house,
- that you live with your dad or are visiting him,
- that your dad has a house with a driveway,
- and that there is a garage there.
This is metadata that, when combined with other metadata, can paint an alarmingly accurate picture of you.

@mattblaze @briankrebs @ai6yr @mousey Calls made via messenger apps such as Signal are end-to-end encrypted, offering greater privacy from mobile providers and potential eavesdroppers.

@mattblaze @briankrebs @ai6yr @mousey Calls made via messenger apps such as Signal are end-to-end encrypted, offering greater privacy from mobile providers and potential eavesdroppers.

@ron_olafsson @mattblaze @briankrebs @ai6yr

Still metadata to be reaped. Is your keyboard autocompleting your words while you type into Signal?

Every (read: both, it's a duopoly) mobile OS, on most phones, is a house built on sand.

Every carrier is Security without Privacy.

Every stupid backdoor, like the CALEA law, is another camera in your toilet.

@ron_olafsson @mattblaze @briankrebs @mousey That said (having not analyzed it), how much relationship / traffic analysis can you do on Signal?

i.e. if you drunk buddy Pete keeps on texting you hot tips about things going down overseas, can you look at addressing/trace network traffic, even if you can't read the messages? i.e. he keeps on texting your OTHER friend, Marc about him needing to find a girlfriend in his new job running the overseas branch of your franchise, but he's got to learn Spanish first? And suddenly they're exchanging traffic at 2am on Signal?"

ICYMI, from Reuters:

"Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell on Tuesday said Verizon and AT&T are blocking release of key documents about an alleged massive Chinese spying operation that infiltrated U.S. telecommunications networks known as Salt Typhoon and wants their CEOs to appear before Congress to answer questions."

"Cantwell asked both companies to turn over security assessments conducted by Alphabet cybersecurity unit Mandiant. She said Mandiant refused to provide the requested network security assessments, apparently at the direction of AT&T and Verizon."

"In some cases, hackers are alleged to have intercepted conversations, including between prominent U.S. politicians and government officials. Several lawmakers have described them as the worst telecom hacks in U.S. history."

"Cantwell said Salt Typhoon allowed the Chinese government to "geolocate millions of individuals" and "record phone calls at will," and that the incident targeted almost every American."

https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/senator-says-att-verizon-blocking-release-salt-typhoon-security-assessment-2026-02-03/