Cartel Hack: FBI Informants Targeted by Camera Surveillance
- A hacker working for the Sinaloa Cartel, once headed by Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán, successfully compromised the phone of an FBI official stationed at the U.S. embassy in...
- The audit, titled "Audit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Efforts to Mitigate the Effects of Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance," revealed that the hacker, who offered services related to...
- After identifying the ALAT, the hacker obtained call records and geolocation data.
A shocking breach: a Sinaloa Cartel hacker infiltrated the FBI, putting informants at risk. This grave security lapse,revealed in a Justice Department audit,saw the compromise of an FBI official’s phone,leading to compromised sources and,tragically,deaths. The hacker, using refined methods including access to Mexico City’s camera system, tracked the FBI official and then exposed their associates. This article details how the primary_keyword, the Cartel, exploited vulnerabilities, obtaining call records and geolocation. Furthermore, we explore the impact of these secondary_keyword technological advancements. News Directory 3 has this devastating story and examines the FBI’s response, including plans for enhanced agent training.Discover what’s next …
Sinaloa Cartel Hacker Breached FBI, endangering sources
Updated June 29, 2025
A hacker working for the Sinaloa Cartel, once headed by Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán, successfully compromised the phone of an FBI official stationed at the U.S. embassy in Mexico City, according to a U.S. Justice Department audit. The breach resulted in the intimidation and, in some cases, deaths of individuals cooperating wiht the FBI.
The audit, titled “Audit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Efforts to Mitigate the Effects of Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance,” revealed that the hacker, who offered services related to exploiting mobile phones and electronic devices, targeted an FBI “assistant legal attaché” (ALAT). The FBI was alerted to the hacker’s existence while working on El Chapo’s case. Guzmán was arrested in 2016 and later extradited to the United States.

After identifying the ALAT, the hacker obtained call records and geolocation data. The hacker also accessed Mexico City’s camera system, using it to track the ALAT’s movements and identify individuals they met with. this facts was then allegedly used by the Sinaloa Cartel to target potential sources and witnesses, according to the report.
The Justice Department report warned that technological advancements have made it easier for criminal organizations to exploit vulnerabilities in government-collected information. The FBI is reportedly developing a plan that includes enhanced agent training to address these vulnerabilities.

In related news, police in Chiapas, mexico, recently unveiled a fleet of armed drones to combat drug cartels vying for control of the border with Guatemala. The Chiapas state police force was also involved in a recent international incident when officers pursued alleged gunmen into Guatemala, resulting in a shootout.
The drones could be equipped with guns or used to fight fires, according to Chiapas Security Secretary Óscar Aparicio Avendaño. Chiapas has been struggling with cartel violence between the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, who are battling for control of smuggling routes along the Guatemalan border.
