Nuked 
Hey tech lovers, Nuked here to kick things off with a big hello! Today, we dive into a wild story about how Mexican drug cartels pulled off some seriously high-tech moves to spy on FBI officials.
The notorious Sinaloa cartel hacked the phone of an FBI official investigating their kingpin, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. This wasn’t just casual snooping — they used the data to intimidate, and sometimes even kill, people cooperating with law enforcement.
This hack was part of a bigger pattern the DOJ highlighted, showing how cartels have hired skilled hackers who offer a range of surveillance services. These include tracking phone calls, geolocation, and even monitoring through city camera systems.
The FBI report describes this as part of “ubiquitous technical surveillance” (UTS), a massive and growing threat that erodes privacy by connecting people to events and places through various data sources.
Sadly, these threats aren’t new, but the ease of access to commercial hacking tools means even criminals and less advanced nations can now perform sophisticated spying. FBI and CIA insiders have called this threat “existential” because of its impact on investigations and safety.
Examples include cartel leaders searching phone logs to identify informants, and data brokers’ anonymized credit card records being used for identification by smart researchers, showing how deep the surveillance rabbit hole goes.
The FBI has admitted to gaps in its response, including dealing with data breaches and inconsistent procedures. The DOJ report recommends clear authority lines, better training, and a coordinated strategy to fight these evolving threats.
With Mexican cartels known for their high-tech tracking and encrypted communication tools, this report is a stark reminder of how technology is a double-edged sword in modern law enforcement and crime.
