Bad Connection: Uncovering Global Telecom Exploitation by Covert Surveillance Actors
Summary
The Citizen Lab report uncovers two sophisticated telecom surveillance campaigns that abuse global interconnects and signaling protocols (SS7 and Diameter) to track targets, spoof operator identities, and exfiltrate location data via SIM-based exploits. It highlights persistent, cross-border campaigns, entry points through third-party providers, and the need for stronger interoperator security and regulatory oversight.