The breach, described as part of an FBI review into technological vulnerabilities, revealed that the cartel-linked hacker accessed incoming and outgoing call logs as well as the geolocation data of the agent's device.
The timeframe of the breach remains unclear, as does the identity of the hacker and the agent involved. Using data gathered from the compromised phone, the hacker reportedly accessed Mexico City's public surveillance camera system.
This allowed the cartel to monitor the agent's meetings and identify government sources. "The cartel used that information to intimidate and, in some instances, kill potential sources or cooperating witnesses," the report stated.
The audit warned that publicly available surveillance tools and advancements in cellular tracking have made covert operations increasingly difficult.
"New technologies have made it easier than ever for less-sophisticated nations and criminal enterprises to identify and exploit vulnerabilities," the FBI concluded.
The breach shows growing security threats posed by sophisticated criminal networks. Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán's Sinaloa cartel, for example, continues to wield significant influence despite Guzmán's imprisonment in the US following his 2017 extradition.
The threat extends beyond surveillance as the cartel continues to grow in influence, finances, and as a result, in tech. A memo obtained by the New York Post warned that Mexican cartel leaders authorized the use of explosive-laden drones against US Border Patrol and military personnel.
February 1, 2025, an alaert from the El Paso Sector Intelligence and Operations Center urged agents to wear ballistic gear and report drone sightings. Cartel violence continues to escalate.
Earleir this year Border Patrol agents in Fronton, Texas, came under fire from cartel gunmen across the border. The shooters reportedly fled from the Mexican military before retreating to an island in the Rio Grande.
Online, cartels have used platforms like TikTok to call for violence against US immigration authorities. Some posts encouraged illegal immigrants to assault ICE agents, vandalize vehicles, and target border personnel for assassination, according to Fox News.
