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secure phantom

If you've purchased a smartphone in the last several years, it's most likely encrypted by default to protect your data. Canada-based Phantom Secure went a step further with its customized, ultra-secure Blackberry and Samsung smartphones. At present, the visitor'south CEO Vincent Ramos is behind bars, accused of facilitating criminal activeness past tailoring those devices to accommodate the likes of drug cartels and gangs.

Co-ordinate to the FBI complaint, Phantom Secure wasn't just making secure smartphones. The company'due south direction allegedly knew its phones were purchased primarily by criminals, and it actually designed features with that in mind. The FBI cites the notoriously trigger-happy Sinaloa drug cartel as 1 of Phantom's best customers. Ramos is charged with racketeering, conspiracy to distribute narcotics, and aiding and abetting.

Phantom Secure goes to extremes to cater to the almost paranoid smartphone users, with most of its sales coming from United mexican states, Commonwealth of australia, Republic of cuba, and Venezuela. It doesn't build smartphones from the ground upwardly, but rather modifies existing hardware to adjust its needs. There's a BlackBerry version of the Phantom Secure platform based on the Assuming 9720, and an Android version based on the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. The latter comes with a keyboard attachment, simply the BlackBerry has a built-in keyboard.

Phones purchased from Phantom Secure take no GPS, no camera, and no microphone — the company physically removes the hardware components. The software is also heavily modified to block access to the open internet and regular messaging services. The only advice platform on Phantom Secure devices is a highly secure PGP-based system going through international servers. The company does non list prices online, so they're likely rather astronomical.

Cardinal to the FBI's case is the allegation that Phantom Secure is not simply making devices that criminals happen to buy. In that location are plenty of iPhones and Android devices in the pockets of criminals, later on all. Multiple clandestine agents merits to have recorded Vincent Ramos proudly proclaiming that his company's phones were designed specifically to cater to drug smugglers. The authorities also points to at least i cooperating witness who used Phantom Secure devices as part of the Sinaloa cartel. Agents even purchased devices from Phantom while pretending to be drug traffickers, and asked questions almost coordinating drug buys via the phones. Phantom Secure didn't bat an eye.

Not everyone will be happy to see the FBI take downwardly Phantom Secure. The FBI has shown its distaste for the increasing employ of encrypted communication, and this could exist seen as a slippery slope.