This happens in Mexico, but the level of access they got is pretty staggering IMHO:
> The hired hacker [...] was able to use the [attache's] mobile phone number to obtain calls made and received, as well as geolocation data, associated with the [attache's] phone."
> the hacker also used Mexico City's camera system to follow the [attache] through the city and identify people the [attache] met with
"5. Reduce the UTS threat by outlawing most domestic surveillance capitalism. Including having severe criminal penalties for companies found illegally capturing, compiling, retaining, selling, sharing, or leaking what has been designated as rightfully private data."
Sounds like the hacker got access to call logs and tower pings, but probably didn't hack the actual phone. I'm assuming FBI-issued cell phones are pretty hard to break into, Mexican cell service providers probably less so
IIRC, something similar happened in the 1980's/90's with the phone landlines.
The FBI/DEA made an anonymous toll-free tip line for people to call with tips on the cartel activity. The cartel was able to get the phone records for people who called the tip line through bribes, extortion, or violence to the telco employees. They identified the people who called the tip lines, and then one-by-one eliminated them all.
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[ 3.1 ms ] story [ 25.1 ms ] thread> The hired hacker [...] was able to use the [attache's] mobile phone number to obtain calls made and received, as well as geolocation data, associated with the [attache's] phone."
> the hacker also used Mexico City's camera system to follow the [attache] through the city and identify people the [attache] met with
"5. Reduce the UTS threat by outlawing most domestic surveillance capitalism. Including having severe criminal penalties for companies found illegally capturing, compiling, retaining, selling, sharing, or leaking what has been designated as rightfully private data."
The FBI/DEA made an anonymous toll-free tip line for people to call with tips on the cartel activity. The cartel was able to get the phone records for people who called the tip line through bribes, extortion, or violence to the telco employees. They identified the people who called the tip lines, and then one-by-one eliminated them all.