Feminist Global Resistance continues our Activist Action Series, offering techniques and safety tips for activists.
Our article, “The Surveillance State – Beware of ‘cell-site stimulators’”, provides important information on a tool now used by “law-enforcement entities” to surveil activists and provides a “fix” to protect oneself from this intrusion on our 1st Amendment rights.
To all activists, “dancing the streets” requires a knowledge of what one may encounter during any action. Be prepared for any event and stay vigilant.
Remember, we are in this together, so together we help each other.
Activism can be fun, but it is serious business – take care of yourself and each other.
As always: Be prepared for confrontation and keep it safe out there!
Seasoned activists leave their electronic devices at home, but a lot of folks (including some older activists) are slow to realize we’ve been in a different era for a long time. We are now in an era of surveillance – from cameras to listening devices and equipment that can intercept electronic signals emitted from cellphones, laptops, I-Pads, sports watches, Garmins, or any internet-connected electronic device.
Of significant concern for activists: The feds can deploy “Stingray,” a “cell-site stimulator” that mimics a cell phone tower, allowing them to intercept your cell phone signal to collect evidence about who you are, where you are located, and what you’re saying/texting on your phone.
From EFF (Electric Frontier Foundation):
More information:
Stingray: A New Frontier in Police Surveillance
The problematic thing about “Stingrays” is that they aren’t “laser-targeted.” They are collecting ALL the cell phones possible in a particular area, so even if you’re innocent, you’re still caught up in the dragnet.
It is to your benefit to discern whether or not you are walking or driving into a zone where cell traffic is being intercepted by a “Stingray.”
Here’s one way you can do this yourself for less than $20:
- Get an Orbic mobile hotspot:
Verizon Orbic Speed Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot Listings on eBay for $11 – $18
How do I set up Orbic Speed mobile hotspot?
Initial Setup
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- Insert the battery. Before using the device, ensure the battery is fully charged.
- Turn the power on by holding the. Power button. for 2 seconds. …
- Devices may now connect to the Orbic Speed via Wi-Fi. The network credentials (SSID and password) are located in the device settings.
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2. Get the Rayhunter software package from Github:
Open Source project – Rayhunter.
3. Get someone who is running Linux to attach their USB-C cable from their Linux computer to their Orbic to install the Rayhunter code, following the instructions on the Github page in step 2.
More Information about Rayhunter:
Meet Rayhunter: A New Open Source Tool from EFF to Detect Cellular Spying