US and British intelligence agencies hacked into a major
manufacturer of Sim cards in order to steal codes that facilitate eavesdropping
on mobiles, a US news website says.
The Intercept says the revelations came from US intelligence
contractor turned whistleblower Edward Snowden.
The Dutch company allegedly targeted - Gemalto - says it is
taking the allegations "very seriously".
It operates in 85 countries and has more than 40
manufacturing facilities.
The Intercept says that "the great Sim heist" gave
US and British surveillance agencies "the potential to secretly monitor a
large portion of the world's cellular communications, including both voice and
data".
It says that among the clients of the Netherlands-based
company are AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint and "some 450 wireless
network providers around the world".
Full investigation
The Intercept alleges that the hack organised by Britain's
GCHQ and the US National Security Agency (NSA) began in 2010, and was organised
by operatives in the "Mobile Handset Exploitation Team". Neither
agency has commented directly on the allegations.
However GCHQ reiterated that all its activities were
"carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework which
ensures that our activities are authorised, necessary and proportionate".
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