Stingray-Like Device Enables Blackmail In S. Africa

New submitter PalmAndy writes to note that: South African Police nabbed some criminals using an IMSI catcher device, similar to a Stingray, in Johannesburg. The article says that it was made in Israel and is worth $2 million. A follow-on story says that it was used for tender manipulation and blackmail of Government officials. A corrupt government official helped procure this device, which in theory is only sold to goverments."

Comments

Doesn't sound so bad

[wonkey_monkey]

A follow-on story says that it was used for tender manipulation

Ooh. That sounds kinda nice.

define "tender"

[Gravis Zero]

Tender

A call for tenders, or invitation to tender (ITT) (often called tender for short) is a special procedure for generating competing offers from different bidders looking to obtain an award of business activity in works, supply, or service contracts. They are usually preceded by a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ).

sounds like they used it to win government contracts and blackmail government officials that didn't play nice.

Good example for encryption

[jbmartin6]

Since this device was supposedly only available to governments (as if that somehow makes it OK), this is an interesting illustration of the objections in the US to teh plan to backdoor everyone's phone encryption. If the government has the ability, criminals will soon have it also.