On the outside, the phone looks exactly like a standard smartphone, in some cases, a black Pixel 4a, but on the inside, it's an 'Anom' phone being used by the FBI to track criminals. The FBI has been using tools like these for years, trying to get as close to criminals as possible. In this instance, it's a matter of being behind enemy lines when the enemy thinks they can trust you completely.
Anom is one of many different communication services used by organized crime to set up smuggling operations and other nefarious activities. The interesting thing about Anom is, unlike other messaging services, this one is run by law enforcement. The idea was to become a good fake phone company with credibility so that criminals would trust the brand and then start using these FBI devices for their activities, thinking they were completely secure. The undertaking had an operation name: Trojan Shield. Earlier this month when the operation was announced, over 27 million messages from over 100 countries had been obtained from its users. How were they able to trick so many criminals? Build devices that was tailored specifically for these individuals, not unlike other blacklisted devices such as Phantom phones.
Recently, Vice was able to get their hands on one of these phones, and it has some pretty cool tricks up its sleeve. A number of different devices were used by law enforcement in various countries, but this particular device is a Google Pixel 4a, made to look unassuming and sleek. There are two PINs the user could use to unlock the device. One opens a very normal-looking screen and houses apps like Candy Crush, Tinder, Instagram, and Facebook - none of these apps actually work, and tapping on them does absolutely nothing. The other PIN will unlock a completely different facade, showcasing a couple of apps: a clock, calculator, and the settings. The calculator is actually the Anom app, opening the gateway for criminals to communicate openly and securely, without the need to worry if someone was watching - or so they thought.
How The FBI Built Decoy Crime Phones
The base operating system is named "ArcaneOS" which, unsurprisingly, not many people know much about. The only information circling is speculative at best, posted by those who have recently and unknowingly purchased these devices from individuals offloading them wherever they could after learning of the Trojan Shield operation. As to be expected, there are a few quirks to the device like the lack of an app store. One person explained to Vice that they "cannot install any apps because there is no [App Store], everything has been removed." In addition, people have reportedly been debating on forums about how to modify the device. "Nothing works when attempting to flash," claimed one user. It would seem that the device is completely locked out from modification.
Another interesting aspect of the phone is the lack of location service settings. It's probably safe to assume that location tracking is set to on by default, for obvious reasons. The device also incorporates PIN scrambling to deter people from remembering the user's PIN, and a wipe feature that will erase the device's memory if a certain code is typed in. The user can also set it up to wipe automatically after a certain amount of downtime. This is a common feature among encrypted phone companies. In fact, all of these features might have some believe that Anom was a completely reliable company, playing into the FBI's hands perfectly.
The FBI isn't above using new technology to get to criminals, and the operation was definitely a success to a degree. This operation almost certainly won't be the last time the FBI pretends to be a safe house for criminals either. These devices are now being recovered as criminals are selling them off after finding out their true purpose, so it might be worth being extra careful when purchasing a device online.
Source: Vice Image source: Australian Federal Police