to further simplify - any positive story in the media that's positive about the function or importance of the leather boots of the fascist state, is propaganda.
Don't overlook the possibility that the journalists involved thought the truth wasn't sexy enough for publication. That doesn't mean the SS wasn't feeding them a line. It just means that they may have literally asked for it with leading questions. The propaganda pipeline from government to journalists isn't a purely one-sided operation.
There are various ways of localizing a radio transmitter, using multiple points. There may be more than three ("tri") and they may use the angle of the antenna ("angulation"). But they also may use signal strength or timing. I'm not sure which technique they used. "Triangulation" is the word everyone knows, even when "three angles" are not involved.
Triangulation is the practice of using distance readings from three separate points to find one unique location, at the intersection of 3 circles. Why do you disbelieve that this technique was used, and what would it matter to the meaning of the story? It seems you’re casting shade without cause here.
Your definition of triangulation is not correct, that would be trilateration. That's my point, the common use of "triangulation" is actually a little different from the technically accurate use. Thus, I put in quotes and add (sic), to indicate I know the difference, even though I'm using the term like how everyone else uses it.
Can we be straightforward here and just say what is manifestly happening? This is a really clumsy but not at all unique or even uncommon thing that law enforcement does all the time, which is basically reverse-engineer a probable cause so that a clearly unlawful search becomes a legal one and basically launder evidence that would otherwise be suppressed under the 4th Amendment into something that is both a face-saving and self-justifying act that is incredibly commonplace in the realm broadly called "computer crimes" that the feds generally take the lead on investigating and creating a case for. It's more or less described in this law review article: https://www.sog.unc.edu/sites/default/files/course_materials/Law%20Review%20Art%20on%20Parallel%20Construction.pdf
Substack thinks that my complete explainer is too long, but read that, look at the last sentence of the article, work your way back up, and just realize that they are telling you parts of the case that don't matter, and don't assume competence on the government's part. Norm-washing isn't something they need or deserve. As long as they have probable cause for the search, they can run across some other convenient crimes that don't really need actual acts to be proven. That's what you got here, since the remotely competent feds are doing foot patrols in DC or quit or got fired. There aren't too many former public defenders who write code, but I happen to be one, so through dumb luck this involves basically the bizarre set of things people have paid me actual money to do. It's not uncommon, just usually not so obviously hamfisted.
It appears that enforcement of STIR/SHAKEN connection signing was required of the major carriers as of last Thursday (9/18). I know it was only 80-something % a few months ago. I wonder if that had anything to do with exposing the network; I assume it was detected first by one of the major carriers.
I'm curious about how much control over this sort of thing these SIM banks have. Are they using just the off-the-shelf products where SIP packets are generated in the normal approved way (i.e. with correct phone numbers). Or are they hacking the underlying software to forge SIP packets?
Great coverage, having no experience with sim farms I jumped to the conclusion that it wouldn't be useful for much other than randomly sending SMS, and even then would overload the towers.. which was apparently the purpose. Guess I was too distracted by their claims to realise.
This was my reaction. I signed up to a service a while back to be able to receive a 2FA SMS, and $5 got me dedicated use of a cell number that google, etc would happily send me a 2FA code to, for 15 minutes.
When I saw those photos, I felt it looked like exactly the kind of infrastructure that service I used would have - although maybe a bit “greyer”.
I guess it’s possible - it could even be elaborate infrastructure for some single espionage campaign, that th Service have intel on. But based on the use cases they described Occam’s razor says no, at the first glance.
As soon as I saw the photos, I knew it was BS, as a colo provider in .au, we have SO many customers with these legitimately in use, as sms's from mobile providers are literally cheaper than sms's from ANYWHERE online..
Appreciate your perspective on this. Absent any additional detail from USSS, this is just one of many SIM farms known to exist in the USA. One doesn't need sophisticated "triangulation" techniques when the network knows your position. SIMBOX detection is a 'thing' and has been for some time.
The fact I explicitly credit the image generation implies otherwise, that if I use AI to generate something, I credit it. In any case, the text has the informality that humans generate that AIs can't.
Thanks for the explainer. I'm certainly inclined to believe your version over the so-called experts the NYT uses.
"Who are you going to trust, these Washington insiders, “people who matter”, or an actual hacker like myself?"
lol you actually wrote that. I was considering to stay with you up to that point.
If Robert is a hacker then I'm the Pope. LMFAO
If Robert is a hacker then I'm the Pope. LMFAO
Nicely done, Robert. Agreed.
to further simplify - any positive story in the media that's positive about the function or importance of the leather boots of the fascist state, is propaganda.
Don't overlook the possibility that the journalists involved thought the truth wasn't sexy enough for publication. That doesn't mean the SS wasn't feeding them a line. It just means that they may have literally asked for it with leading questions. The propaganda pipeline from government to journalists isn't a purely one-sided operation.
That could be true, maybe they produced the press release after talking to a few journalists.
Care to explain why you find this in error?
> using radio “triangulation” (sic)
There are various ways of localizing a radio transmitter, using multiple points. There may be more than three ("tri") and they may use the angle of the antenna ("angulation"). But they also may use signal strength or timing. I'm not sure which technique they used. "Triangulation" is the word everyone knows, even when "three angles" are not involved.
Triangulation is the practice of using distance readings from three separate points to find one unique location, at the intersection of 3 circles. Why do you disbelieve that this technique was used, and what would it matter to the meaning of the story? It seems you’re casting shade without cause here.
Edit: alternatively, 2 directional radios could be sufficient https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direction_finding
Your definition of triangulation is not correct, that would be trilateration. That's my point, the common use of "triangulation" is actually a little different from the technically accurate use. Thus, I put in quotes and add (sic), to indicate I know the difference, even though I'm using the term like how everyone else uses it.
Can we be straightforward here and just say what is manifestly happening? This is a really clumsy but not at all unique or even uncommon thing that law enforcement does all the time, which is basically reverse-engineer a probable cause so that a clearly unlawful search becomes a legal one and basically launder evidence that would otherwise be suppressed under the 4th Amendment into something that is both a face-saving and self-justifying act that is incredibly commonplace in the realm broadly called "computer crimes" that the feds generally take the lead on investigating and creating a case for. It's more or less described in this law review article: https://www.sog.unc.edu/sites/default/files/course_materials/Law%20Review%20Art%20on%20Parallel%20Construction.pdf
Substack thinks that my complete explainer is too long, but read that, look at the last sentence of the article, work your way back up, and just realize that they are telling you parts of the case that don't matter, and don't assume competence on the government's part. Norm-washing isn't something they need or deserve. As long as they have probable cause for the search, they can run across some other convenient crimes that don't really need actual acts to be proven. That's what you got here, since the remotely competent feds are doing foot patrols in DC or quit or got fired. There aren't too many former public defenders who write code, but I happen to be one, so through dumb luck this involves basically the bizarre set of things people have paid me actual money to do. It's not uncommon, just usually not so obviously hamfisted.
your AI-generated header image looks like piss. just don't use an image next time, even..
It appears that enforcement of STIR/SHAKEN connection signing was required of the major carriers as of last Thursday (9/18). I know it was only 80-something % a few months ago. I wonder if that had anything to do with exposing the network; I assume it was detected first by one of the major carriers.
https://transnexus.com/blog/2025/third-party-shaken-rules-effective-date/
Thanks for this.
I'm curious about how much control over this sort of thing these SIM banks have. Are they using just the off-the-shelf products where SIP packets are generated in the normal approved way (i.e. with correct phone numbers). Or are they hacking the underlying software to forge SIP packets?
If it turns out to be SHAKEN, expect the FCC to take a victory lap (assuming they're not too busy policing late-night comedy).
Great coverage, having no experience with sim farms I jumped to the conclusion that it wouldn't be useful for much other than randomly sending SMS, and even then would overload the towers.. which was apparently the purpose. Guess I was too distracted by their claims to realise.
So it's not really bogus, you just don't like how it is being played out in the media.
This was my reaction. I signed up to a service a while back to be able to receive a 2FA SMS, and $5 got me dedicated use of a cell number that google, etc would happily send me a 2FA code to, for 15 minutes.
When I saw those photos, I felt it looked like exactly the kind of infrastructure that service I used would have - although maybe a bit “greyer”.
I guess it’s possible - it could even be elaborate infrastructure for some single espionage campaign, that th Service have intel on. But based on the use cases they described Occam’s razor says no, at the first glance.
As soon as I saw the photos, I knew it was BS, as a colo provider in .au, we have SO many customers with these legitimately in use, as sms's from mobile providers are literally cheaper than sms's from ANYWHERE online..
Appreciate your perspective on this. Absent any additional detail from USSS, this is just one of many SIM farms known to exist in the USA. One doesn't need sophisticated "triangulation" techniques when the network knows your position. SIMBOX detection is a 'thing' and has been for some time.
The Ai generated image implies that the text is Ai generated...
The fact I explicitly credit the image generation implies otherwise, that if I use AI to generate something, I credit it. In any case, the text has the informality that humans generate that AIs can't.
or even the russian side of a story or chinese one.
🧐
I'm sure you are correct and the SS is blowing smoke from burning bullshit.