Security News > 2021 > June > Australian cops, FBI created backdoored chat app, told crims it was secure – then snooped on 9,000 users' plots

The Australian Federal Police has revealed it was able to decrypt messages sent on a supposedly secure messaging app that was seeded into the criminal underworld and promoted as providing snoop-proof comms.

Europol and the FBI will detail their use of the app in the coming hours.

The existence of the app - part of Operation Ironside, which quietly began three years ago - was revealed at a press conference in Australia today, where AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw said that, during informal meetings over beers, members of the AFP and the FBI cooked up the idea of creating a backdoored app.

The app would only communicate with other AN0M-equipped phones, and required payment of a monthly fee.

"The devices organically circulated and grew in popularity among criminals, who were confident of the legitimacy of the app because high-profile organised crime figures vouched for its integrity."

Kershaw said the surveillance enabled by the app is legal under the terms of Australia's Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2018.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/06/08/operation_ironside_anom/