Top secret documents leaked by Edward Snowden detail how spy agencies stole SIM card data, giving them unprecedented access to millions of cell phones.
People with cell phones at a World Cup game on June 21, 2014, in Cuiaba, Brazil.
Stu Forster / Getty Images
The Intercept published a startling report Thursday that details how British and American intelligence agencies hacked into a company that produces SIM cards used by cell phone carriers all over the world — including all the major players in the U.S. market. The report is based on leaked documents from Edward Snowden, some of which are published along with the article.
It's a lengthy and detailed piece, but here are the important points that you need to know now:
Gemalto, the world's largest SIM card manufacturer, is headquartered in the Netherlands. It also has facilities all over the globe, including in Texas and Pennsylvania. In addition to cell phone SIM cards — tiny pieces of hardware that decrypt cell phone communications — Gemalto also makes chips for credit cards and other technology.
Hackers with the National Security Agency and the U.K.'s Government Communications Headquarters broke into Gemalto's computer networks remotely after searching employee emails for useful information.
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