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- [Narrator] Criminal gangs
across Europe and the world.
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00:00:05,177 --> 00:00:07,973
- They're running guns,
trafficking drugs,
3
00:00:07,973 --> 00:00:09,457
they're killing people.
4
00:00:09,457 --> 00:00:10,631
[gunshot fired]
5
00:00:10,631 --> 00:00:12,495
- [Narrator] Using
highly encrypted phones
6
00:00:12,495 --> 00:00:14,255
to stay under the radar.
7
00:00:14,255 --> 00:00:17,741
- The level of security
on these EncroChat devices
8
00:00:17,741 --> 00:00:20,779
would be the envy of James Bond.
9
00:00:20,779 --> 00:00:22,781
- If the encryption
is done correctly,
10
00:00:22,781 --> 00:00:25,611
then we believe it's
impossible to crack.
11
00:00:25,611 --> 00:00:29,201
- [Narrator] The police
are always one step behind.
12
00:00:29,201 --> 00:00:30,754
- It's a game of cat and mouse
13
00:00:30,754 --> 00:00:33,895
between the organized
criminals and law enforcement.
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00:00:35,104 --> 00:00:37,140
- [Narrator] Until one
team of investigators
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00:00:37,140 --> 00:00:40,212
turns the phones
against their users.
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00:00:40,212 --> 00:00:42,697
- The clock is ticking. The
police have to move on it.
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00:00:42,697 --> 00:00:43,526
[door bangs]
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00:00:43,526 --> 00:00:45,045
[indistinct shouts]
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00:00:45,045 --> 00:00:47,047
- All this will lead to
more arrests, more seizures,
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00:00:47,047 --> 00:00:48,841
and dismantling of
criminal networks.
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00:00:50,740 --> 00:00:52,742
[ambient music]
22
00:00:52,742 --> 00:00:56,642
- [Narrator] These are the
codes that changed our world.
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00:00:56,642 --> 00:01:01,578
Bizarre markings, random
letters, and numbers,
24
00:01:03,201 --> 00:01:05,340
words that make no sense.
25
00:01:07,481 --> 00:01:12,072
But cracking them
unlocks military secrets,
26
00:01:12,072 --> 00:01:14,660
decodes ancient civilizations,
27
00:01:15,765 --> 00:01:18,216
and reveals enemies
in our midst.
28
00:01:20,770 --> 00:01:23,600
Now we uncover how
they were decoded,
29
00:01:24,532 --> 00:01:27,570
the genius minds
that broke them,
30
00:01:27,570 --> 00:01:30,055
and the secrets they reveal.
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00:01:30,055 --> 00:01:32,816
[dramatic music]
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[suspenseful music]
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May 5th, 2018.
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00:01:42,585 --> 00:01:45,450
On the outskirts of
Liverpool, England,
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00:01:45,450 --> 00:01:48,936
53-year-old John Kinsella
is walking his dogs
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00:01:48,936 --> 00:01:51,490
along a quiet country lane.
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It's a sunny early
Saturday morning,
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and the last one
Kinsella will ever see.
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- 6:45 In the morning,
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00:02:00,465 --> 00:02:03,847
it was a kind of country
path along the M62.
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00:02:03,847 --> 00:02:05,228
At the same time,
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00:02:05,228 --> 00:02:09,473
on CCTV is captured a cyclist
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00:02:09,473 --> 00:02:11,026
in hi vis gear,
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00:02:11,026 --> 00:02:12,787
heading out, going
for a bike ride.
45
00:02:14,237 --> 00:02:16,584
- [Narrator] But this
innocent-looking cyclist
46
00:02:16,584 --> 00:02:18,483
is anything but.
47
00:02:18,483 --> 00:02:20,864
He's an armed assassin.
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- He takes out a gun and he
shoots John Kinsella four times.
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00:02:24,799 --> 00:02:25,973
[gunshots fired]
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Twice in the back.
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00:02:27,423 --> 00:02:28,769
And then he goes over
and shoots him again.
52
00:02:28,769 --> 00:02:31,254
[gunshots fired]
53
00:02:31,254 --> 00:02:34,326
- [Narrator] Local
police are in no doubt,
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00:02:34,326 --> 00:02:36,949
this was a gangland execution.
55
00:02:36,949 --> 00:02:40,850
And they know this because
Kinsella was a gangster.
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00:02:40,850 --> 00:02:42,817
[suspenseful music]
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00:02:42,817 --> 00:02:44,302
- John Kinsella
was part of a gang
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00:02:44,302 --> 00:02:46,959
that was smuggling drugs in
the Northwest of England,
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00:02:46,959 --> 00:02:50,031
and was involved
with rival gangs.
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00:02:50,031 --> 00:02:51,274
That involves violence,
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00:02:51,274 --> 00:02:52,206
that involves drug taking,
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00:02:52,206 --> 00:02:54,001
that involves firearms.
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00:02:54,001 --> 00:02:55,278
[gunshot fired]
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00:02:55,278 --> 00:02:56,728
- [Narrator] Despite
Kinsella's history,
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00:02:56,728 --> 00:02:59,662
the gangland assassination
is a bombshell.
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00:03:00,870 --> 00:03:02,699
- A hit to be carried
out that quick
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00:03:02,699 --> 00:03:05,219
with that kind of caliber
of weapon in England
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00:03:05,219 --> 00:03:07,014
was incredibly shocking.
69
00:03:09,327 --> 00:03:11,191
- [Narrator] Using CCTV footage
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00:03:11,191 --> 00:03:13,193
and painstaking detective work,
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00:03:13,193 --> 00:03:15,712
a suspect is
eventually identified.
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38-year-old Mark Fellows,
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00:03:20,303 --> 00:03:22,098
a member of a rival gang.
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00:03:23,203 --> 00:03:25,653
- John Kinsella's
murder came three years
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00:03:25,653 --> 00:03:27,759
after Paul Massey
was gunned down.
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00:03:29,554 --> 00:03:32,764
Paul Massey was a
notorious gang leader.
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00:03:32,764 --> 00:03:36,180
In fact, Kinsella had carried
the coffin at his funeral.
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00:03:36,180 --> 00:03:38,045
And his gang, the A Team,
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00:03:38,045 --> 00:03:42,946
was in direct conflict with
another gang, the Anti-A Team.
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00:03:42,946 --> 00:03:46,778
And there were huge turf
wars between these networks
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00:03:46,778 --> 00:03:49,332
and it got very bloody
and very violent.
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00:03:50,713 --> 00:03:52,749
- [Narrator] Mark Fellows
is a known associate
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00:03:52,749 --> 00:03:54,372
of the Anti-A Team.
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Police suspect he
pulled the trigger
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on gangland boss Massey in 2015
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00:04:02,138 --> 00:04:05,245
and Kinsella in 2018.
87
00:04:05,245 --> 00:04:07,730
[suspenseful music]
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They hope his cell phone
will provide the proof
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that Fellows was
behind both hits.
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00:04:14,461 --> 00:04:18,327
But initially the phone seems
to reveal nothing useful.
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00:04:18,327 --> 00:04:20,983
- If you turn on the
power button once,
it's just gonna open
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00:04:20,983 --> 00:04:23,193
and look like an
ordinary Android phone.
93
00:04:24,332 --> 00:04:26,266
- [Narrator] But on
closer inspection,
94
00:04:26,266 --> 00:04:28,129
something doesn't add up.
95
00:04:28,129 --> 00:04:29,510
- It's like it's
a brand new phone.
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00:04:29,510 --> 00:04:31,063
It has no history,
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00:04:31,063 --> 00:04:32,272
which is extraordinary
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00:04:32,272 --> 00:04:34,343
because every phone
has some kind of data.
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00:04:35,516 --> 00:04:38,381
- [Narrator] The wiped
phone is a red flag.
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The police suspect Fellows
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has been using a
sophisticated operating system
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favored by criminals that
can cover its tracks.
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It's known as EncroChat.
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- If you press the power button
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00:04:52,706 --> 00:04:55,398
and the volume button
at the same time,
106
00:04:55,398 --> 00:04:59,126
then you are transported to
the magical world of EncroChat.
107
00:05:01,784 --> 00:05:03,475
It's almost like
being in Gotham City,
108
00:05:03,475 --> 00:05:06,651
this underworld that
exists electronically.
109
00:05:06,651 --> 00:05:08,411
- [Narrator] This
secret operating system
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00:05:08,411 --> 00:05:10,965
first appeared in 2015,
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00:05:10,965 --> 00:05:13,002
and everything
about it is shady.
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00:05:14,175 --> 00:05:17,524
Even buying a handset
is a clandestine affair.
113
00:05:17,524 --> 00:05:19,042
- To get an EncroChat phone,
114
00:05:19,042 --> 00:05:22,218
it's a bit like
getting hold of a gun.
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00:05:22,218 --> 00:05:24,979
You've got to know
someone who knows someone,
116
00:05:24,979 --> 00:05:27,223
and the deal is done
in a back alley.
117
00:05:28,431 --> 00:05:30,847
- [Narrator] EncroChat
operates in the shadows.
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00:05:32,332 --> 00:05:34,472
And so do most of its customers.
119
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- I'm a crime reporter
120
00:05:36,922 --> 00:05:39,097
and specialize in
interviewing criminals.
121
00:05:39,097 --> 00:05:40,374
And one of these criminals,
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00:05:40,374 --> 00:05:41,582
he held up a phone,
123
00:05:41,582 --> 00:05:44,344
and it was this bizarre
group chat going on,
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00:05:44,344 --> 00:05:46,760
and it had photos
of guns, drugs.
125
00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:47,623
It was crazy.
126
00:05:50,591 --> 00:05:53,007
- [Narrator] Criminals like
Mark Fellows are confident
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00:05:53,007 --> 00:05:55,872
they can communicate without
fear of incrimination.
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00:05:57,357 --> 00:06:01,326
Thanks to EncroChat's
ultra-secure
encryption software.
129
00:06:01,326 --> 00:06:03,363
- The service that
EncroChat offered
130
00:06:03,363 --> 00:06:05,503
was military grade encryption.
131
00:06:05,503 --> 00:06:08,851
It was encryption
that law enforcement,
132
00:06:08,851 --> 00:06:10,024
criminals themselves,
133
00:06:10,024 --> 00:06:11,750
no one has seen anything
like this before.
134
00:06:11,750 --> 00:06:14,753
[suspenseful music]
135
00:06:16,203 --> 00:06:18,378
- [Narrator] Encryption
scrambles data,
136
00:06:18,378 --> 00:06:20,794
making it seemingly
impossible for anyone
137
00:06:20,794 --> 00:06:23,935
other than the sender and
recipient to read the message.
138
00:06:25,281 --> 00:06:29,319
EncroChat uses a
particularly secure process
139
00:06:29,319 --> 00:06:31,598
known as end-to-end encryption.
140
00:06:32,978 --> 00:06:35,498
- The software and the phone
would encrypt a message
141
00:06:35,498 --> 00:06:37,776
as soon as you're
putting it into the phone
142
00:06:37,776 --> 00:06:39,468
so that when it was transmitted,
143
00:06:39,468 --> 00:06:41,987
it would already be encrypted.
144
00:06:41,987 --> 00:06:43,230
And on the other side,
145
00:06:43,230 --> 00:06:45,888
the intended recipient
would have a secret key
146
00:06:45,888 --> 00:06:48,787
that would allow them to decrypt
and receive that message.
147
00:06:51,376 --> 00:06:54,068
- [Narrator] The only risk
of messages being intercepted
148
00:06:54,068 --> 00:06:56,692
is if the phone falls
into the wrong hands.
149
00:06:57,865 --> 00:07:00,558
But EncroChat has a
solution for that too.
150
00:07:02,007 --> 00:07:05,286
- The level of security
on these EncroChat devices
151
00:07:05,286 --> 00:07:07,841
would be the envy of James Bond.
152
00:07:08,704 --> 00:07:10,913
Once a message has been sent,
153
00:07:10,913 --> 00:07:13,605
it can be deleted
from the phone.
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00:07:13,605 --> 00:07:15,711
The other key security feature
155
00:07:15,711 --> 00:07:19,646
is that everything on the phone
can be wiped in an instant
156
00:07:19,646 --> 00:07:21,441
by keying in a pin code.
157
00:07:25,686 --> 00:07:28,378
- [Narrator] This explains
why Mark Fellow's cell phone
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00:07:28,378 --> 00:07:30,277
was blank when he was arrested.
159
00:07:31,416 --> 00:07:34,419
Either Fellows had
wiped the data himself
160
00:07:34,419 --> 00:07:35,731
or the police had wiped it
161
00:07:35,731 --> 00:07:38,354
when they tried to
access the phone.
162
00:07:38,354 --> 00:07:40,701
- If someone is
incorrectly guessing pins
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00:07:40,701 --> 00:07:42,841
after a particular
number of attempts,
164
00:07:42,841 --> 00:07:45,430
it's gonna automatically
erase all the information.
165
00:07:46,983 --> 00:07:48,951
- [Narrator] And
that's not the only way
166
00:07:48,951 --> 00:07:52,989
these heavily-modified Android
phones protect their users.
167
00:07:52,989 --> 00:07:55,682
- The GPS, the
microphones, the cameras,
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00:07:55,682 --> 00:07:57,477
all of those parts of a phone
169
00:07:57,477 --> 00:07:59,444
that reveal a lot about its use,
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00:07:59,444 --> 00:08:01,032
are completely disabled.
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00:08:02,171 --> 00:08:04,691
It doesn't use phone
networks, it uses wifi.
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00:08:04,691 --> 00:08:08,557
So there is no trace of
that phone being used.
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00:08:08,557 --> 00:08:11,629
Police can't locate
you and the phone,
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00:08:11,629 --> 00:08:14,494
they can't position you
anywhere near a crime.
175
00:08:16,288 --> 00:08:19,050
- [Narrator] This makes these
phones appealing to anyone
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00:08:19,050 --> 00:08:21,466
who wants to keep their
communications private.
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00:08:21,466 --> 00:08:25,850
- The key selling point
is anonymity guaranteed.
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In other words,
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00:08:27,334 --> 00:08:30,751
what you say to other people
will be kept completely private
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00:08:30,751 --> 00:08:33,374
between you and
the other person.
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00:08:33,374 --> 00:08:35,411
- Because it was
seen as impenetrable,
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00:08:35,411 --> 00:08:38,138
criminals started to
use it extensively,
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00:08:38,138 --> 00:08:41,279
to the point I think
90% of the 60,000 people
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00:08:41,279 --> 00:08:44,246
that were using EncroChat
were in fact criminals.
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00:08:49,114 --> 00:08:51,772
[suspenseful music]
186
00:08:51,772 --> 00:08:53,843
- [Narrator] Serious
criminals and gang members
187
00:08:53,843 --> 00:08:56,915
like Mark Fellows are
quick to adopt EncroChat
188
00:08:58,123 --> 00:09:00,988
because the alternatives
are far less functional
189
00:09:00,988 --> 00:09:02,887
and less secure.
190
00:09:02,887 --> 00:09:05,268
- These days it's possible
to buy a mobile phone
191
00:09:05,268 --> 00:09:07,650
extremely cheaply
and with no paperwork
192
00:09:07,650 --> 00:09:09,169
and no contract required.
193
00:09:09,169 --> 00:09:11,551
So they really can't be traced.
194
00:09:11,551 --> 00:09:13,932
- Buy burner phones and throw
them away just like that,
195
00:09:13,932 --> 00:09:16,797
and leave very little
trace of yourself.
196
00:09:18,696 --> 00:09:21,077
- [Narrator] But these
so-called burner phones
197
00:09:21,077 --> 00:09:22,941
are far from ideal.
198
00:09:22,941 --> 00:09:25,150
- You can't keep contacts
on a burner phone
199
00:09:25,150 --> 00:09:28,360
because that in itself
is identifiable.
200
00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,640
And so to even try and remember
someone's number these days,
201
00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:32,951
I don't think anyone can.
202
00:09:34,815 --> 00:09:36,679
- [Narrator] Modern
technology now means
203
00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:38,267
that with the right permissions,
204
00:09:38,267 --> 00:09:40,890
the police can
locate a burner phone
205
00:09:40,890 --> 00:09:43,997
or track down where
it was purchased.
206
00:09:43,997 --> 00:09:46,586
- If the police find a phone,
207
00:09:46,586 --> 00:09:48,622
they can recover a whole
wealth of information,
208
00:09:48,622 --> 00:09:52,695
including contacts, messages,
history of activity,
209
00:09:52,695 --> 00:09:55,422
and they can even get a
bunch of location-based data.
210
00:09:56,941 --> 00:09:59,150
- [Narrator] This is
why EncroChat phones,
211
00:09:59,150 --> 00:10:01,152
with their
stripped-down handsets,
212
00:10:01,152 --> 00:10:03,810
are a game changer
for criminal kingpins.
213
00:10:05,363 --> 00:10:07,917
[suspenseful music]
214
00:10:07,917 --> 00:10:11,611
But above all, it's EncroChat's
bulletproof encryption
215
00:10:11,611 --> 00:10:13,992
that makes the phone
such a valuable weapon
216
00:10:13,992 --> 00:10:15,787
in the criminal's arsenal.
217
00:10:15,787 --> 00:10:18,410
- Even if the police
intercept a message
218
00:10:18,410 --> 00:10:20,896
between EncroChat
phones on route,
219
00:10:20,896 --> 00:10:22,656
it's going to look
like gibberish,
220
00:10:22,656 --> 00:10:25,901
and they're not going to be
able to read the contents.
221
00:10:28,006 --> 00:10:29,767
- [Narrator] EncroChat
enables its users
222
00:10:29,767 --> 00:10:32,493
to send messages without
fear of interception
223
00:10:33,460 --> 00:10:36,428
by using a digital key.
224
00:10:36,428 --> 00:10:38,845
- The key is the
recipe for encryption
225
00:10:38,845 --> 00:10:40,812
and the recipe for decryption.
226
00:10:42,020 --> 00:10:43,504
- [Narrator] To send
a secure message,
227
00:10:43,504 --> 00:10:47,163
both the sender and the
recipient use this digital key
228
00:10:47,163 --> 00:10:52,065
to encrypt and decrypt,
lock and unlock the message.
229
00:10:52,065 --> 00:10:55,551
- I scramble up a message
according to some recipe,
230
00:10:55,551 --> 00:10:56,586
and I send it to you.
231
00:10:57,726 --> 00:11:00,349
And you can only
unscramble the message
232
00:11:00,349 --> 00:11:02,282
if you know the same recipe.
233
00:11:04,387 --> 00:11:06,838
- [Narrator] EncroChat
uses a digital key.
234
00:11:08,219 --> 00:11:11,532
But the idea of using a
cryptographic key is not new.
235
00:11:13,086 --> 00:11:17,677
From Roman emperors to Cold
War spies and serial killers,
236
00:11:17,677 --> 00:11:19,851
people have been using
cryptographic keys
237
00:11:19,851 --> 00:11:24,062
to lock and unlock secret
messages for thousands of years.
238
00:11:25,512 --> 00:11:30,551
And they can be anything from
code books to cipher wheels.
239
00:11:34,590 --> 00:11:38,387
But perhaps the most bizarre
use of a cryptographic key
240
00:11:38,387 --> 00:11:41,183
involves a playerless piano
241
00:11:41,183 --> 00:11:43,530
and the most beautiful
woman in the world.
242
00:11:43,530 --> 00:11:46,671
- How long must he
live between us?
243
00:11:46,671 --> 00:11:49,501
- [Narrator] By the time
America entered World War II,
244
00:11:49,501 --> 00:11:51,538
Hollywood star Hedy Lamarr
245
00:11:51,538 --> 00:11:53,747
had already lived
a colorful life.
246
00:11:55,197 --> 00:11:59,097
- Hedy Lamarr was a young
star in German cinema.
247
00:11:59,097 --> 00:12:02,722
She married an Austrian
arms dealer who was mixed up
248
00:12:02,722 --> 00:12:06,795
with some of the more
notorious fascists of that day.
249
00:12:06,795 --> 00:12:08,417
She managed to
escape that marriage,
250
00:12:08,417 --> 00:12:09,901
make her way to England,
251
00:12:09,901 --> 00:12:14,285
where she happened to cross
paths with Louis B. Mayer,
252
00:12:14,285 --> 00:12:17,978
and convinced him that she
should be in American movies.
253
00:12:19,152 --> 00:12:20,774
- [Narrator] Mayer
promoted Lamarr
254
00:12:20,774 --> 00:12:23,294
as the most beautiful
woman in the world.
255
00:12:24,433 --> 00:12:27,643
But Hedy Lamarr was
more than a pretty face.
256
00:12:27,643 --> 00:12:29,749
[suspenseful music]
257
00:12:29,749 --> 00:12:32,544
She was also a
brilliant inventor.
258
00:12:34,581 --> 00:12:36,169
- Early in World War II,
259
00:12:36,169 --> 00:12:39,931
the US had a problem
with its torpedoes.
260
00:12:39,931 --> 00:12:42,175
Despite deploying
fleets of submarines,
261
00:12:42,175 --> 00:12:46,627
the US was having very limited
success sinking enemy ships.
262
00:12:48,112 --> 00:12:50,493
- [Narrator] The US
Navy used radio signals
263
00:12:50,493 --> 00:12:53,289
to steer the torpedoes
towards their targets.
264
00:12:54,774 --> 00:12:58,363
- Unfortunately,
this radio-controlled
targeting system
265
00:12:58,363 --> 00:13:03,023
was very easy for
the enemy to jam.
266
00:13:03,023 --> 00:13:05,854
All they had to do was
tune in the frequency
267
00:13:05,854 --> 00:13:07,787
and then they could overwhelm it
268
00:13:07,787 --> 00:13:09,547
with a transmission
of their own.
269
00:13:09,547 --> 00:13:11,411
The torpedo would go off course,
270
00:13:11,411 --> 00:13:13,482
and the ship would
sail on safely.
271
00:13:14,794 --> 00:13:15,933
- [Narrator] It was a problem
272
00:13:15,933 --> 00:13:18,176
that Hedy Lamarr
thought she could fix,
273
00:13:19,799 --> 00:13:22,111
[piano plays]
274
00:13:22,111 --> 00:13:24,700
thanks to a so-called
player piano.
275
00:13:26,081 --> 00:13:29,947
- She often worked with a
composer named George Antheil.
276
00:13:29,947 --> 00:13:32,294
And Antheil was an expert
277
00:13:32,294 --> 00:13:34,986
at composing music
for player pianos.
278
00:13:34,986 --> 00:13:39,059
This is a technology few
people would recognize today.
279
00:13:40,336 --> 00:13:42,407
- [Narrator] Inside
a player piano,
280
00:13:42,407 --> 00:13:44,582
a role of paper
with punched holes
281
00:13:44,582 --> 00:13:46,998
tells the piano
which notes to play.
282
00:13:48,828 --> 00:13:51,037
And bizarrely,
Lamarr and Antheil
283
00:13:51,037 --> 00:13:54,868
thought this mechanism might
solve the torpedo problem.
284
00:13:56,387 --> 00:14:00,287
Their big idea was to use a
similar perforated role of paper
285
00:14:00,287 --> 00:14:03,808
to change the radio signal
controlling a torpedo,
286
00:14:03,808 --> 00:14:06,949
just as it changed the notes
played on a player piano.
287
00:14:09,365 --> 00:14:11,505
- [James] It would turn
on and off switches,
288
00:14:11,505 --> 00:14:14,543
those switches could
control the frequency
289
00:14:14,543 --> 00:14:17,995
of the radio receiver
or transmitter.
290
00:14:18,858 --> 00:14:20,100
- [Narrator] One role of paper
291
00:14:20,100 --> 00:14:21,999
would be located
on the submarine,
292
00:14:21,999 --> 00:14:24,208
another inside the torpedo.
293
00:14:25,795 --> 00:14:28,143
- You had one drum
on the submarine
294
00:14:28,143 --> 00:14:30,973
and it would constantly
change the frequency
295
00:14:30,973 --> 00:14:32,457
of the radio signal
296
00:14:32,457 --> 00:14:34,977
that's controlling the
direction of the torpedo.
297
00:14:34,977 --> 00:14:38,774
The receiver on the torpedo
has the exact same system
298
00:14:38,774 --> 00:14:42,088
changing the frequency
at which it receives,
299
00:14:42,088 --> 00:14:44,504
and the two of them
are moving in sync.
300
00:14:45,746 --> 00:14:47,748
- [Narrator] The signal
hops across frequencies
301
00:14:47,748 --> 00:14:51,062
according to a random,
prearranged sequence.
302
00:14:51,062 --> 00:14:54,617
Jamming one frequency only
interrupts the transmission
303
00:14:54,617 --> 00:14:55,895
for a split second.
304
00:14:57,068 --> 00:14:59,277
And without knowing
what's on the paper,
305
00:14:59,277 --> 00:15:03,178
the enemy can't predict where
the signal will hop next.
306
00:15:03,178 --> 00:15:06,112
- There's no way that anyone
trying to jam the signal
307
00:15:06,112 --> 00:15:09,839
can stay ahead of this
constantly changing frequency.
308
00:15:11,565 --> 00:15:13,567
- [Narrator] Lamarr
and Antheil's invention
309
00:15:13,567 --> 00:15:16,156
relied on the US
Navy giving the keys,
310
00:15:16,156 --> 00:15:19,401
in this case, identical
sheets of perforated paper
311
00:15:19,401 --> 00:15:21,990
to both the submarine
and torpedo.
312
00:15:22,922 --> 00:15:24,751
Like all encrypted messages,
313
00:15:24,751 --> 00:15:27,927
the system only works if
the sender shares the key,
314
00:15:27,927 --> 00:15:30,205
whatever it is,
with the recipient.
315
00:15:32,379 --> 00:15:34,174
[suspenseful music]
316
00:15:34,174 --> 00:15:35,796
But this system won't work
317
00:15:35,796 --> 00:15:39,524
for EncroChat's 21st
century customers.
318
00:15:39,524 --> 00:15:42,734
- When encryption was
something that armies did
319
00:15:42,734 --> 00:15:44,357
or governments did,
320
00:15:44,357 --> 00:15:47,222
sharing the keys was achievable
321
00:15:47,222 --> 00:15:49,949
because armies have
dispatch riders,
322
00:15:49,949 --> 00:15:52,192
diplomats have special channels.
323
00:15:53,124 --> 00:15:55,299
The information age can't run
324
00:15:55,299 --> 00:15:59,027
on people exchanging bits
of paper with a key on it.
325
00:16:00,373 --> 00:16:01,753
- [Narrator] In a world
326
00:16:01,753 --> 00:16:03,790
where sender and
recipient may never meet,
327
00:16:03,790 --> 00:16:07,414
and hackers can eave drop with
the click of a few buttons,
328
00:16:07,414 --> 00:16:11,177
how can keys be shared online
or over cell phone networks
329
00:16:12,592 --> 00:16:14,870
without fear of
electronic interception?
330
00:16:18,978 --> 00:16:20,393
The answer comes from
331
00:16:20,393 --> 00:16:23,741
one of the most secure and
secretive places on the planet.
332
00:16:25,260 --> 00:16:28,366
Britain's top-secret cyber
security headquarters
333
00:16:28,366 --> 00:16:31,438
in Cheltenham, known as GCHQ.
334
00:16:33,406 --> 00:16:35,822
Here in the 1960s,
335
00:16:35,822 --> 00:16:38,031
British cryptographers
solved the problem
336
00:16:38,031 --> 00:16:41,897
of how to send a secret
message without sharing a key.
337
00:16:43,036 --> 00:16:46,419
And their solution
seems to defy logic.
338
00:16:46,419 --> 00:16:50,009
- I can send you
a secret message,
339
00:16:50,009 --> 00:16:52,425
even though we've never met,
340
00:16:52,425 --> 00:16:55,911
you will be able to decipher
the message, and only you.
341
00:16:58,638 --> 00:17:00,847
- [Narrator] In
the GCHQ solution
342
00:17:00,847 --> 00:17:04,367
and the system used by
EncroChat five decades later,
343
00:17:04,367 --> 00:17:06,991
each person has two keys,
344
00:17:06,991 --> 00:17:10,821
one secret private key
and one shared public key.
345
00:17:11,892 --> 00:17:13,308
- Their public key,
346
00:17:13,308 --> 00:17:15,758
which they can show to
anyone and is not sensitive,
347
00:17:15,758 --> 00:17:18,589
and their private key, which
they keep to themselves.
348
00:17:19,589 --> 00:17:21,040
- [Narrator] The first step
349
00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:22,938
in sending a secure
locked message to someone
350
00:17:22,938 --> 00:17:25,319
is generating a
private digital key.
351
00:17:26,769 --> 00:17:29,255
This is a long string of
randomly generated numbers
352
00:17:29,255 --> 00:17:33,155
running into hundreds,
sometimes thousands of digits.
353
00:17:33,155 --> 00:17:36,193
- Well it's really hard to
guess it if you don't know it,
354
00:17:36,193 --> 00:17:40,783
and it's drawn from a very
large space of possibilities.
355
00:17:40,783 --> 00:17:41,991
- [Narrator] The next step
356
00:17:41,991 --> 00:17:45,098
is to generate a
public digital key.
357
00:17:45,098 --> 00:17:46,686
This is directly linked
358
00:17:46,686 --> 00:17:49,102
to the recipient's
private digital key
359
00:17:49,102 --> 00:17:52,450
through a series of complex
mathematical processes.
360
00:17:54,383 --> 00:17:56,592
- The public key
is used to specify
361
00:17:56,592 --> 00:17:58,939
how the data is
gonna get scrambled.
362
00:17:58,939 --> 00:18:02,874
And its purpose is to be
combined with the message
363
00:18:02,874 --> 00:18:06,085
that you're trying to send
through a mathematical process
364
00:18:06,085 --> 00:18:08,501
that sort of scrambles
and mixes everything up.
365
00:18:10,054 --> 00:18:11,849
- [Narrator] The
securely locked message
366
00:18:11,849 --> 00:18:13,851
is then sent to the recipient.
367
00:18:15,128 --> 00:18:17,475
But unlocking the scrambled
message then needs
368
00:18:17,475 --> 00:18:19,374
both the recipient's public key
369
00:18:19,374 --> 00:18:21,790
and the private
key linked to it.
370
00:18:23,585 --> 00:18:26,898
- If I want to communicate
secretly with someone,
371
00:18:26,898 --> 00:18:28,693
I can go look up
their public key
372
00:18:28,693 --> 00:18:31,834
and use it to encrypt
my message in such a way
373
00:18:31,834 --> 00:18:36,011
that only that intended
recipient who holds
that private key
374
00:18:36,011 --> 00:18:37,944
will be able to
decrypt and read it.
375
00:18:40,084 --> 00:18:41,603
- [Narrator] A
secret private key
376
00:18:41,603 --> 00:18:44,640
with a shared public key
is an ingenious solution
377
00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:47,022
to the problem of
sending secure messages
378
00:18:47,022 --> 00:18:48,817
over insecure networks.
379
00:18:50,922 --> 00:18:54,581
This process is known as
end-to-end encryption,
380
00:18:55,651 --> 00:18:57,205
and it happens automatically
381
00:18:57,205 --> 00:19:00,449
every time an EncroChat
user sends a message.
382
00:19:01,588 --> 00:19:04,143
[suspenseful music]
383
00:19:04,143 --> 00:19:07,146
But EncroChat isn't the
only messaging system
384
00:19:07,146 --> 00:19:09,941
to use end-to-end encryption.
385
00:19:09,941 --> 00:19:12,875
In fact, a billion
people around the world
386
00:19:12,875 --> 00:19:14,670
use one every day,
387
00:19:14,670 --> 00:19:17,432
for completely legal purposes.
388
00:19:17,432 --> 00:19:20,331
- End-to-end encryption is
an incredibly common tool
389
00:19:20,331 --> 00:19:22,264
that many of us use every day,
390
00:19:22,264 --> 00:19:26,026
especially in messaging apps
like WhatsApp and Signal.
391
00:19:26,026 --> 00:19:29,271
And it protects our
secure communications
392
00:19:29,271 --> 00:19:32,101
from things like
unwanted surveillance,
393
00:19:32,101 --> 00:19:34,759
it protects dissidents
and whistle blowers,
394
00:19:34,759 --> 00:19:36,692
and it protects
very ordinary things
395
00:19:36,692 --> 00:19:38,694
like our credit
card information.
396
00:19:40,179 --> 00:19:43,078
- The difference between
EncroChat and WhatsApp
397
00:19:43,078 --> 00:19:46,185
is that WhatsApp regularly
work with the police
398
00:19:46,185 --> 00:19:47,979
and will help with
an investigation.
399
00:19:49,464 --> 00:19:51,880
- [Narrator] WhatsApp even
has a set of guidelines
400
00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:55,470
for law enforcement officials
seeking to access its records.
401
00:19:57,679 --> 00:20:00,716
But that still doesn't make
it any easier to read messages
402
00:20:00,716 --> 00:20:02,925
that have been
securely encrypted.
403
00:20:04,341 --> 00:20:07,723
Instead, the police can
access other related data.
404
00:20:09,173 --> 00:20:12,003
- They do have the metadata,
meaning the information about
405
00:20:12,003 --> 00:20:15,214
which parties were
communicating at what times
406
00:20:15,214 --> 00:20:16,560
and in what amount.
407
00:20:17,630 --> 00:20:18,838
- [Narrator] While WhatsApp
408
00:20:18,838 --> 00:20:21,047
is willing to assist
law enforcement,
409
00:20:21,047 --> 00:20:23,946
EncroChat takes a radically
different approach.
410
00:20:25,258 --> 00:20:26,915
- EncroChat, as far
as we are aware,
411
00:20:26,915 --> 00:20:28,986
have never cooperated
with anybody.
412
00:20:30,298 --> 00:20:32,886
- [Narrator] In fact, EncroChat
guarantees its customers
413
00:20:32,886 --> 00:20:35,095
it will never give
up this information
414
00:20:35,095 --> 00:20:36,821
under any circumstances,
415
00:20:37,822 --> 00:20:39,893
making its end-to-end encryption
416
00:20:39,893 --> 00:20:42,275
a gift for the
criminal underworld.
417
00:20:44,553 --> 00:20:49,317
Within months of launching,
EncroChat is making a fortune.
418
00:20:49,317 --> 00:20:53,182
Each modified phone sells for
around a thousand dollars.
419
00:20:54,667 --> 00:20:57,635
But the real money is in the
secure encryption service
420
00:20:57,635 --> 00:20:59,982
provided by EncroChat.
421
00:20:59,982 --> 00:21:03,883
- To subscribe to one, it
was about 1,300 to 500,
422
00:21:03,883 --> 00:21:05,505
just for a couple of months.
423
00:21:06,989 --> 00:21:09,475
- [Narrator] As the police
can't read their messages
424
00:21:09,475 --> 00:21:12,512
and EncroChat won't
release any metadata,
425
00:21:12,512 --> 00:21:15,550
by the time killer Mark
Fellows is arrested,
426
00:21:15,550 --> 00:21:17,862
he's just one of many
serious criminals
427
00:21:17,862 --> 00:21:21,280
who believe EncroChat
makes them untouchable,
428
00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:23,937
free to conduct their
business undetected.
429
00:21:26,595 --> 00:21:29,218
But law enforcement
is slowly closing in
430
00:21:29,218 --> 00:21:31,255
on operations like EncroChat.
431
00:21:32,498 --> 00:21:35,294
[suspenseful music]
432
00:21:35,294 --> 00:21:37,606
On the other side
of the Atlantic,
433
00:21:37,606 --> 00:21:39,539
police have found
a way to crack down
434
00:21:39,539 --> 00:21:41,990
on a similar encrypted
messaging service,
435
00:21:43,163 --> 00:21:45,200
without cracking the code.
436
00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:51,517
In 2008, Canadian
entrepreneur Vincent Ramos
437
00:21:51,517 --> 00:21:55,072
set up a company in Vancouver
called Phantom Secure.
438
00:21:57,523 --> 00:22:01,250
Ramos's big idea was to sell
secure Blackberry phones
439
00:22:01,250 --> 00:22:03,805
to top flight business
people, celebrities,
440
00:22:03,805 --> 00:22:05,807
and wannabe James Bonds.
441
00:22:07,498 --> 00:22:09,500
- These Phantom Secure devices
442
00:22:09,500 --> 00:22:11,606
were straightforward
Blackberry phones,
443
00:22:11,606 --> 00:22:14,160
but with key security
features in them
444
00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:16,369
quite similar to EncroChat.
445
00:22:16,369 --> 00:22:20,131
So in a way they were
the precursor to the
EncroChat device.
446
00:22:22,410 --> 00:22:24,377
- [Narrator] With a
Phantom Secure phone,
447
00:22:24,377 --> 00:22:27,276
a user couldn't
make ordinary calls.
448
00:22:27,276 --> 00:22:29,762
They could only send
encrypted emails.
449
00:22:31,453 --> 00:22:34,525
Not surprisingly that
made them less popular
450
00:22:34,525 --> 00:22:37,356
with wannabe James
Bond business execs,
451
00:22:37,356 --> 00:22:40,911
and more popular
with real villains.
452
00:22:40,911 --> 00:22:42,533
- Phantom Secure had clients
453
00:22:42,533 --> 00:22:45,536
including major drug
trafficking organizations,
454
00:22:45,536 --> 00:22:47,400
gambling syndicates,
455
00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:50,127
as well as the Hell's
Angels out in Australia.
456
00:22:52,681 --> 00:22:55,960
- [Narrator] Like EncroChat,
the Phantom Secure phones
457
00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:59,136
used end-to-end
encryption software.
458
00:22:59,136 --> 00:23:00,413
But unlike EncroChat,
459
00:23:00,413 --> 00:23:02,311
whose ownership is
carefully shielded,
460
00:23:03,451 --> 00:23:06,385
it was clear who was
behind this operation.
461
00:23:06,385 --> 00:23:09,353
- Phantom Secure was
of openly known...
462
00:23:09,353 --> 00:23:11,459
It was run by Vincent Ramos.
463
00:23:14,393 --> 00:23:16,740
- [Narrator] In February, 2017.
464
00:23:16,740 --> 00:23:20,813
The FBI set up a sting
operation in a Las Vegas hotel.
465
00:23:22,815 --> 00:23:25,058
- [Livvy] The FBI, posing
as drug traffickers,
466
00:23:25,058 --> 00:23:27,371
had arranged a meeting
with Vincent Ramos
467
00:23:27,371 --> 00:23:32,376
to negotiate a deal of buying
200 Phantom Secure phones.
468
00:23:33,791 --> 00:23:36,449
- Ramos was talking about
the benefits of these devices
469
00:23:36,449 --> 00:23:38,934
and how they were
great for drug dealing.
470
00:23:38,934 --> 00:23:41,040
And that was one
of the key things
471
00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:44,353
that helped the authorities
take Ramos down.
472
00:23:44,353 --> 00:23:46,425
[gavel hits]
473
00:23:46,425 --> 00:23:47,943
- [Narrator] Ramos
was subsequently
474
00:23:47,943 --> 00:23:51,671
sentenced to nine years
in jail for racketeering.
475
00:23:51,671 --> 00:23:54,294
Phantom Secure collapsed,
476
00:23:54,294 --> 00:23:56,435
leaving a major
gap in the market
477
00:23:57,643 --> 00:23:59,990
that a new provider
stepped straight into.
478
00:24:01,129 --> 00:24:04,684
- Another similar device
emerged called Anom.
479
00:24:04,684 --> 00:24:06,272
The unique feature of this phone
480
00:24:06,272 --> 00:24:09,068
is that when you use
the calculator function,
481
00:24:09,068 --> 00:24:11,760
it was actually to
install encryption
482
00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:14,832
on the messages and
communications of that phone.
483
00:24:14,832 --> 00:24:17,456
Absolutely perfect
for criminals.
484
00:24:19,699 --> 00:24:21,908
- [Narrator] Use of
these secure new devices
485
00:24:21,908 --> 00:24:24,083
spread rapidly by word of mouth.
486
00:24:25,049 --> 00:24:26,913
By late 2019,
487
00:24:26,913 --> 00:24:31,159
there were almost 10,000
regular users of Anom,
488
00:24:31,159 --> 00:24:32,781
all of them criminals.
489
00:24:33,955 --> 00:24:35,991
- Anom felt a lot
less underground
490
00:24:35,991 --> 00:24:38,373
than a lot of the other
encryption services.
491
00:24:38,373 --> 00:24:39,788
If you're a criminal
492
00:24:39,788 --> 00:24:41,928
and the service isn't
working quite right for you,
493
00:24:41,928 --> 00:24:44,379
you could ring and get
some customer support.
494
00:24:45,829 --> 00:24:47,934
- [Narrator] It seemed
too good to be true.
495
00:24:48,832 --> 00:24:51,282
And that's because it was.
496
00:24:51,282 --> 00:24:54,493
- Anom was a sting
operation run by the FBI.
497
00:24:56,391 --> 00:24:59,290
They could read all the
messages between the criminals.
498
00:24:59,290 --> 00:25:02,224
They could see where drug
deals were being planned,
499
00:25:02,224 --> 00:25:05,331
what other violent activities
were in the pipeline.
500
00:25:05,331 --> 00:25:09,853
And it proved to be a
major coup for the FBI.
501
00:25:11,889 --> 00:25:13,373
- The amount of intelligence
502
00:25:13,373 --> 00:25:15,755
that we received was staggering.
503
00:25:16,825 --> 00:25:18,655
- [Narrator] In June, 2021,
504
00:25:18,655 --> 00:25:22,728
the Anom sting results in a
multinational police operation
505
00:25:22,728 --> 00:25:25,247
across 16 countries.
506
00:25:25,247 --> 00:25:27,733
Over 800 people are arrested,
507
00:25:27,733 --> 00:25:29,735
40 tons of drugs seized,
508
00:25:29,735 --> 00:25:32,910
and hundreds of
guns, luxury cars,
509
00:25:32,910 --> 00:25:35,913
and millions of dollars
in cash recovered.
510
00:25:37,674 --> 00:25:40,677
[suspenseful music]
511
00:25:44,025 --> 00:25:47,338
But the techniques that
allowed Anom to succeed
512
00:25:47,338 --> 00:25:49,202
and Phantom Secure to fail
513
00:25:50,169 --> 00:25:52,033
won't work against EncroChat
514
00:25:53,655 --> 00:25:57,901
because incredibly, the company
is doing nothing illegal.
515
00:26:00,213 --> 00:26:03,354
- It's not illegal to
own an EncroChat phone.
516
00:26:03,354 --> 00:26:05,874
It's not illegal to
use an EncroChat phone.
517
00:26:07,358 --> 00:26:11,052
- What is illegal is
to plan drug deals
518
00:26:11,052 --> 00:26:14,780
or to plan to kill
your rival gangsters.
519
00:26:15,643 --> 00:26:17,058
But there's nothing illegal
520
00:26:17,058 --> 00:26:19,060
about having an EncroChat
phone or using it.
521
00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,616
- [Narrator] Making matters
harder for the police,
522
00:26:23,616 --> 00:26:26,170
the company is based in Panama.
523
00:26:27,171 --> 00:26:28,863
EncroChat is one of thousands
524
00:26:28,863 --> 00:26:30,796
of offshore
companies based here.
525
00:26:30,796 --> 00:26:33,522
Existing on paper alone,
526
00:26:33,522 --> 00:26:36,111
but with no mention
of the people behind
527
00:26:36,111 --> 00:26:38,113
the highly lucrative operation.
528
00:26:39,977 --> 00:26:42,808
By 2018, police estimate
529
00:26:42,808 --> 00:26:45,880
there are at least
60,000 subscribers
530
00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:49,642
generating up to
$180 million a year.
531
00:26:50,643 --> 00:26:52,956
This is very big business.
532
00:26:54,095 --> 00:26:55,993
EncroChat phones
are becoming endemic
533
00:26:55,993 --> 00:26:58,755
in the criminal
underworld across Europe.
534
00:26:59,825 --> 00:27:03,207
Armed with them,
organized criminal gangs
535
00:27:03,207 --> 00:27:05,071
are getting away with murder.
536
00:27:06,279 --> 00:27:09,248
[suspenseful music]
537
00:27:09,248 --> 00:27:12,769
Including Mark Fellows'
hit on John Kinsella.
538
00:27:15,495 --> 00:27:16,393
[sirens wail]
539
00:27:16,393 --> 00:27:18,567
In November 2019,
540
00:27:18,567 --> 00:27:22,054
Fellows is tried for murder
at Liverpool Crown Court.
541
00:27:23,262 --> 00:27:25,954
CCTV footage captured
near the crime scene
542
00:27:25,954 --> 00:27:27,784
reveals an EncroChat phone
543
00:27:27,784 --> 00:27:30,027
played a critical
role in the killing.
544
00:27:31,339 --> 00:27:33,375
- The CCTV is really
crucial evidence
545
00:27:33,375 --> 00:27:35,032
because it places Fellows
546
00:27:35,032 --> 00:27:39,140
near the murder scene at
the absolute critical time.
547
00:27:39,140 --> 00:27:41,107
- And if you look carefully
at some of these images,
548
00:27:41,107 --> 00:27:43,834
you can see, Fellows has
got a phone in his hand.
549
00:27:45,491 --> 00:27:48,528
- He's using that phone to
communicate to his wingman.
550
00:27:48,528 --> 00:27:51,083
Who's parked in
a layby in a car,
551
00:27:51,083 --> 00:27:54,362
and that phone is
an EncroChat device.
552
00:27:56,295 --> 00:27:57,676
- [Narrator]
EncroChat's encryption
553
00:27:57,676 --> 00:27:59,678
means police can't
read the messages
554
00:27:59,678 --> 00:28:02,301
exchanged by the two men.
555
00:28:02,301 --> 00:28:04,372
But they believe
Fellows' accomplice
556
00:28:04,372 --> 00:28:05,856
used the phone to tell him
557
00:28:05,856 --> 00:28:08,272
when Kinsella was
coming into range.
558
00:28:09,860 --> 00:28:13,277
And the simple fact that
Fellows used an EncroChat phone
559
00:28:13,277 --> 00:28:16,039
contributes to the
evidence against him.
560
00:28:16,039 --> 00:28:17,903
- The prosecution at the trial
561
00:28:17,903 --> 00:28:19,939
say that the EncroChat device
562
00:28:19,939 --> 00:28:22,459
is the favorite device of
the criminal underworld.
563
00:28:23,598 --> 00:28:25,358
- [Narrator] The jury agrees.
564
00:28:26,877 --> 00:28:29,052
Fellows is found
guilty of the murders
565
00:28:29,052 --> 00:28:31,157
of John Kinsella
and Paul Massey.
566
00:28:31,157 --> 00:28:32,780
[sirens wail]
567
00:28:32,780 --> 00:28:35,334
He's given a whole life tariff,
568
00:28:35,334 --> 00:28:39,718
joining an infamous club of
just 75 prisoners in the UK
569
00:28:39,718 --> 00:28:43,204
sentenced to spend the rest
of their lives in jail.
570
00:28:45,482 --> 00:28:47,311
The phone that Fellows
thought put him
571
00:28:47,311 --> 00:28:49,106
beyond the reach of the law,
572
00:28:49,106 --> 00:28:51,281
ultimately helped send him down.
573
00:28:54,525 --> 00:28:57,528
[suspenseful music]
574
00:28:58,598 --> 00:29:00,324
But Fellows is just one
575
00:29:00,324 --> 00:29:02,292
out of tens of
thousands of criminals
576
00:29:02,292 --> 00:29:05,122
across Europe and
beyond using EncroChat
577
00:29:05,122 --> 00:29:07,159
to conduct their
illegal business.
578
00:29:08,747 --> 00:29:10,127
- EncroChat phones
are being used
579
00:29:10,127 --> 00:29:12,612
for everything in
the criminal world.
580
00:29:12,612 --> 00:29:14,753
Major drug trafficking,
kidnappings,
581
00:29:14,753 --> 00:29:16,547
plots to murder people,
582
00:29:16,547 --> 00:29:19,999
all being discussed really
openly across EncroChat.
583
00:29:21,449 --> 00:29:23,762
- [Narrator] If police can
intercept these messages,
584
00:29:23,762 --> 00:29:25,833
they could stop the crimes,
585
00:29:25,833 --> 00:29:27,696
catch the criminals,
586
00:29:27,696 --> 00:29:31,390
and strike a blow to the heart
of European organized crime.
587
00:29:32,805 --> 00:29:36,878
But to do that, they need
to crack the EncroChat code.
588
00:29:41,745 --> 00:29:44,472
350 miles from Liverpool,
589
00:29:44,472 --> 00:29:46,577
on the outskirts of Paris,
590
00:29:46,577 --> 00:29:49,201
one team of French law
enforcement officials
591
00:29:49,201 --> 00:29:51,099
is attempting to do just that.
592
00:29:53,274 --> 00:29:55,690
A dedicated digital crime unit
593
00:29:55,690 --> 00:29:58,624
made up of 60 cyber
crime specialists
594
00:29:58,624 --> 00:30:00,868
has been following
the rise of EncroChat
595
00:30:00,868 --> 00:30:02,179
since its inception.
596
00:30:03,318 --> 00:30:05,734
But so far, it's
failed to find a way
597
00:30:05,734 --> 00:30:09,255
in to EncroChat's ultra-secure
encryption system.
598
00:30:11,913 --> 00:30:13,777
To unscramble a message,
599
00:30:13,777 --> 00:30:16,469
the team needs to know
the private digital key
600
00:30:16,469 --> 00:30:18,437
used to unlock it.
601
00:30:18,437 --> 00:30:20,922
- In a public key
encryption system,
602
00:30:20,922 --> 00:30:23,131
there's this
mathematical relationship
603
00:30:23,131 --> 00:30:25,409
between your public key
and your private key.
604
00:30:27,032 --> 00:30:29,068
- [Narrator] Because both
public and private key
605
00:30:29,068 --> 00:30:30,552
are related,
606
00:30:30,552 --> 00:30:34,142
in theory, it could be possible
to identify the private key
607
00:30:34,142 --> 00:30:37,559
by working backwards through
the layers of complex math
608
00:30:37,559 --> 00:30:38,560
that connect them.
609
00:30:39,665 --> 00:30:41,253
But the reality is,
610
00:30:41,253 --> 00:30:44,601
EncroChat's digital
keys are so long,
611
00:30:44,601 --> 00:30:46,016
this is impossible.
612
00:30:46,016 --> 00:30:47,846
- If you don't know
that private key,
613
00:30:47,846 --> 00:30:50,745
you're not gonna be able to
reverse engineer what happened
614
00:30:50,745 --> 00:30:52,712
and get back to the
underlying message.
615
00:30:53,748 --> 00:30:54,887
- [Narrator] If a billion
616
00:30:54,887 --> 00:30:57,062
of the world's
fastest supercomputers
617
00:30:57,062 --> 00:30:59,650
ran all the possible solutions,
618
00:30:59,650 --> 00:31:02,446
it could take thousands
of billions of years
619
00:31:02,446 --> 00:31:04,828
to find the private key.
620
00:31:04,828 --> 00:31:06,623
- If the encryption
is done correctly
621
00:31:06,623 --> 00:31:09,798
and you don't have any kind
of access to the private key,
622
00:31:09,798 --> 00:31:12,077
then we believe it's
impossible to crack.
623
00:31:13,492 --> 00:31:15,943
- [Narrator] This is a major
blow to the French team
624
00:31:15,943 --> 00:31:18,635
trying to take down EncroChat.
625
00:31:18,635 --> 00:31:20,844
The criminals'
messages can't be read
626
00:31:20,844 --> 00:31:23,847
because the code
can't be cracked.
627
00:31:23,847 --> 00:31:25,435
- They can't hack into them.
628
00:31:25,435 --> 00:31:27,747
They can't access the messages.
629
00:31:27,747 --> 00:31:30,647
And that was a major
problem for law enforcement.
630
00:31:30,647 --> 00:31:32,683
When they realized
that these devices
631
00:31:32,683 --> 00:31:35,376
are being used by
criminals across the world.
632
00:31:35,376 --> 00:31:37,309
- [Narrator] But the
French Digital Crime Unit
633
00:31:37,309 --> 00:31:39,587
doesn't accept defeat.
634
00:31:39,587 --> 00:31:43,280
They think outside the box
and hatch a radical plan.
635
00:31:44,592 --> 00:31:47,388
Instead of cracking
the EncroChat code,
636
00:31:47,388 --> 00:31:49,735
they plan to use the code
637
00:31:49,735 --> 00:31:51,910
and turn it against
the criminals.
638
00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:57,432
But first, they need
to find a way into it.
639
00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:02,265
[suspenseful music]
640
00:32:02,265 --> 00:32:04,474
After four years of frustration,
641
00:32:04,474 --> 00:32:08,996
dead ends, and dogged
persistence, in early 2019,
642
00:32:08,996 --> 00:32:13,138
the team finds a chink in
EncroChat's formidable armor.
643
00:32:13,138 --> 00:32:17,349
- The French police, with some
amazing investigative work,
644
00:32:17,349 --> 00:32:20,248
finally found out
where the servers
645
00:32:20,248 --> 00:32:21,836
of EncroChat were based.
646
00:32:23,527 --> 00:32:25,288
- [Narrator] One of
EncroChat's servers
647
00:32:25,288 --> 00:32:27,428
is located in Northern France.
648
00:32:29,499 --> 00:32:31,466
Due to ongoing criminal cases,
649
00:32:31,466 --> 00:32:34,090
exactly where or
how it was found
650
00:32:34,090 --> 00:32:36,023
remains under wraps.
651
00:32:36,023 --> 00:32:37,783
- We still don't
know to this day
652
00:32:37,783 --> 00:32:41,097
what led to the breakthrough
by French investigators.
653
00:32:41,097 --> 00:32:43,789
My suspicion is that
there must have been
654
00:32:43,789 --> 00:32:46,309
some inside information
from somewhere,
655
00:32:46,309 --> 00:32:50,278
but it absolutely was the vital
step in this investigation.
656
00:32:52,867 --> 00:32:55,490
- [Narrator] Because the servers
are linked to the phones,
657
00:32:55,490 --> 00:32:57,458
if the team can infiltrate them,
658
00:32:57,458 --> 00:33:00,495
the hope is they'll be able to
observe the encrypted traffic
659
00:33:00,495 --> 00:33:03,912
being sent between
EncroChat handsets.
660
00:33:03,912 --> 00:33:06,812
- But even then they can't read
the contents of the messages
661
00:33:06,812 --> 00:33:08,917
because of the protection
of the encryption,
662
00:33:08,917 --> 00:33:11,299
because the keys are
on the local devices
663
00:33:11,299 --> 00:33:12,611
and not on the server.
664
00:33:14,371 --> 00:33:15,752
- [Narrator] Despite
being thwarted
665
00:33:15,752 --> 00:33:17,857
by the ultra-secure encryption,
666
00:33:17,857 --> 00:33:20,412
the French Crime Unit
refuses to give up.
667
00:33:22,931 --> 00:33:26,349
The solution, when
it comes is simple,
668
00:33:26,349 --> 00:33:29,352
turn the server
against the phones.
669
00:33:30,801 --> 00:33:34,081
- EncroChat, like pretty much
any other software provider
670
00:33:34,081 --> 00:33:37,394
needs the capability to
frequently update their software
671
00:33:37,394 --> 00:33:39,603
in response to emerging threats
672
00:33:39,603 --> 00:33:43,021
and bugs that they might
find that need to be fixed.
673
00:33:43,021 --> 00:33:46,714
So their servers need the
ability to push updated software
674
00:33:46,714 --> 00:33:50,373
to the phones to keep
them ahead of threats
675
00:33:50,373 --> 00:33:51,684
as they are discovered.
676
00:33:53,065 --> 00:33:55,136
- [Narrator] The French
Digital Crime Team,
677
00:33:55,136 --> 00:33:57,587
most likely working
with software developers
678
00:33:57,587 --> 00:33:59,140
and computer programmers,
679
00:33:59,140 --> 00:34:02,040
devises an audacious plan:
680
00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:05,043
to use these software
updates from the server
681
00:34:05,043 --> 00:34:08,735
to get inside the
EncroChat handsets.
682
00:34:08,735 --> 00:34:11,670
- If someone can gain
access to those servers
683
00:34:11,670 --> 00:34:14,534
and install their own
piece of software,
684
00:34:14,534 --> 00:34:16,018
then that piece of software
685
00:34:16,018 --> 00:34:18,710
can be pushed through
that update mechanism
686
00:34:18,710 --> 00:34:20,333
to all of the phones.
687
00:34:21,542 --> 00:34:23,922
- [Narrator] The plan is
to infiltrate the server
688
00:34:23,922 --> 00:34:28,411
using malicious software,
commonly known as malware.
689
00:34:31,138 --> 00:34:32,931
- Malware is software
690
00:34:32,931 --> 00:34:35,556
that is designed to
infiltrate a system
691
00:34:35,556 --> 00:34:39,215
and take control for
an unauthorized user
692
00:34:39,215 --> 00:34:42,942
to perform actions like
locking you out of your data
693
00:34:42,942 --> 00:34:44,599
and holding it for ransom,
694
00:34:44,599 --> 00:34:48,569
sending your information
to some other party,
695
00:34:48,569 --> 00:34:50,674
and generally doing
things on the device
696
00:34:50,674 --> 00:34:53,400
that was not the
intention of the user.
697
00:34:54,851 --> 00:34:57,336
- [Narrator] Today, malware
is almost always unleashed
698
00:34:57,336 --> 00:35:00,788
by criminal hackers looking
to make trouble or money.
699
00:35:03,135 --> 00:35:05,103
But that's not how
it started out.
700
00:35:06,552 --> 00:35:09,935
[suspenseful music]
701
00:35:09,935 --> 00:35:11,557
Lahore, Pakistan.
702
00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:14,940
In January 1986,
703
00:35:14,940 --> 00:35:17,045
two budding programmers
wrote a program
704
00:35:17,045 --> 00:35:18,702
to monitor heart rates.
705
00:35:21,222 --> 00:35:25,192
This software proved more
popular than they anticipated.
706
00:35:25,192 --> 00:35:26,469
Much more popular.
707
00:35:27,849 --> 00:35:30,507
- Programs were typically
put on floppy discs.
708
00:35:30,507 --> 00:35:33,165
And so they had found that
people could easily copy
709
00:35:33,165 --> 00:35:37,169
the floppy disc and distribute
the program without paying.
710
00:35:37,169 --> 00:35:38,343
Now these two young brothers
711
00:35:38,343 --> 00:35:40,207
just wanted to discourage people
712
00:35:40,207 --> 00:35:43,071
from illegally copying
and sharing it.
713
00:35:43,071 --> 00:35:45,833
So they inserted
this malicious code
714
00:35:45,833 --> 00:35:49,147
to pop up a message that
would warn the users.
715
00:35:51,183 --> 00:35:53,323
- [Narrator] The
virus, called Brain,
716
00:35:53,323 --> 00:35:55,153
didn't harm the computers,
717
00:35:55,153 --> 00:35:58,259
but it panicked users enough
to contact the brothers
718
00:35:58,259 --> 00:35:59,881
and pay the royalties.
719
00:36:01,262 --> 00:36:04,714
Although back in 1986,
the internet didn't exist,
720
00:36:04,714 --> 00:36:08,925
the virus spread like
wildfire via floppy discs
721
00:36:08,925 --> 00:36:11,997
and changed the digital world.
722
00:36:11,997 --> 00:36:14,758
- This opened up a whole
new world of possibilities
723
00:36:14,758 --> 00:36:17,313
for malicious
software to be spread
724
00:36:17,313 --> 00:36:19,315
and to gain control of systems.
725
00:36:19,315 --> 00:36:22,973
And in response, an entire
industry of antivirus
726
00:36:22,973 --> 00:36:25,459
and defense mechanism
has cropped up
727
00:36:25,459 --> 00:36:27,461
to try to protect
all of our machines
728
00:36:27,461 --> 00:36:28,876
from these kinds of threats.
729
00:36:30,671 --> 00:36:32,224
- [Narrator] Today, malware
730
00:36:32,224 --> 00:36:34,088
has developed into
a battleground
731
00:36:34,088 --> 00:36:37,160
between computer security
experts and criminals.
732
00:36:40,508 --> 00:36:43,166
[suspenseful music]
733
00:36:43,166 --> 00:36:47,653
Usually it's the bad guys
who are one step ahead.
734
00:36:47,653 --> 00:36:51,070
But in northern France,
in the spring of 2020,
735
00:36:51,070 --> 00:36:53,763
it's the French police's
Digital Crime Unit
736
00:36:53,763 --> 00:36:56,041
who unleash a malware attack.
737
00:36:59,355 --> 00:37:02,323
How the malware was uploaded
has not been revealed.
738
00:37:03,497 --> 00:37:06,776
But however the team
did it, it worked.
739
00:37:08,571 --> 00:37:11,159
EncroChat's administrators,
whoever they are,
740
00:37:11,159 --> 00:37:13,886
are unaware their servers
have been infiltrated.
741
00:37:15,681 --> 00:37:17,649
And when the next
software update
742
00:37:17,649 --> 00:37:19,927
goes out to EncroChat handsets,
743
00:37:19,927 --> 00:37:23,344
it takes the French
team's malware with it.
744
00:37:23,344 --> 00:37:24,828
- The software
updates of course,
745
00:37:24,828 --> 00:37:27,037
would be accepted by
any Encro phone user
746
00:37:27,037 --> 00:37:29,868
because it's come directly
from the EncroChat servers.
747
00:37:29,868 --> 00:37:31,766
So you'd have no
question to doubt it.
748
00:37:33,527 --> 00:37:36,323
- [Narrator] The malware
immediately gets to work.
749
00:37:36,323 --> 00:37:38,808
Instructing EncroChat's
secure system
750
00:37:38,808 --> 00:37:40,706
to attack itself from within.
751
00:37:41,707 --> 00:37:43,364
Acting like a double agent,
752
00:37:43,364 --> 00:37:46,505
the malware manipulates the
EncroChat operating system
753
00:37:46,505 --> 00:37:47,644
on each phone.
754
00:37:50,337 --> 00:37:52,891
And so begins a game
of cat and mouse
755
00:37:52,891 --> 00:37:56,239
between the French Digital
Crime Unit and the criminals.
756
00:37:59,346 --> 00:38:01,417
- Firstly, they have
problems with their password,
757
00:38:01,417 --> 00:38:04,385
and then they have problems
with the kill function,
758
00:38:04,385 --> 00:38:06,698
putting in the pin
code that automatically
759
00:38:06,698 --> 00:38:09,148
deletes all the messages
and data on their phone.
760
00:38:10,253 --> 00:38:11,772
- [Narrator] The
criminals can no longer
761
00:38:11,772 --> 00:38:13,946
wipe their phones
clean of evidence.
762
00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:17,295
- For the EncroChat users
763
00:38:17,295 --> 00:38:21,091
this is an absolutely
vital concern
764
00:38:21,091 --> 00:38:22,507
because if those phones
765
00:38:22,507 --> 00:38:25,095
come into the hands of
police and law enforcement,
766
00:38:25,095 --> 00:38:26,718
they can read all
those messages.
767
00:38:26,718 --> 00:38:28,996
They've got a goldmine
of information,
768
00:38:28,996 --> 00:38:30,894
then that's a real problem.
769
00:38:30,894 --> 00:38:33,414
- EncroChat starts getting
complaints from users saying
770
00:38:33,414 --> 00:38:35,865
my kill switch isn't
working, you know,
771
00:38:35,865 --> 00:38:37,453
and that's a major
feature of the device.
772
00:38:37,453 --> 00:38:38,971
There's something going wrong.
773
00:38:38,971 --> 00:38:41,595
So EncroChat says there's
a bug in our encryption.
774
00:38:42,734 --> 00:38:44,322
- [Narrator] To fix the problem,
775
00:38:44,322 --> 00:38:48,118
EncroChat unwittingly does
the worst thing it can do.
776
00:38:48,118 --> 00:38:51,018
It sends another
software update.
777
00:38:51,018 --> 00:38:54,228
- French investigators
were able to piggyback
778
00:38:54,228 --> 00:38:58,819
on that security update with
another piece of malware.
779
00:39:01,718 --> 00:39:02,857
- [Narrator] Once EncroChat
780
00:39:02,857 --> 00:39:05,204
realizes there's a
problem with its system,
781
00:39:05,204 --> 00:39:08,035
a security update is pushed out.
782
00:39:08,035 --> 00:39:10,762
- So at this point
we've almost got a game
783
00:39:10,762 --> 00:39:13,696
between law enforcement
and the criminals,
784
00:39:13,696 --> 00:39:16,871
one doing something, the
other one responding.
785
00:39:16,871 --> 00:39:18,942
There's a kind of
street warfare,
786
00:39:18,942 --> 00:39:21,359
but it's being played
out on the computers.
787
00:39:23,050 --> 00:39:26,364
- [Narrator] The Digital Crime
Unit once again strikes back.
788
00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:30,989
This malware update
instructs the phones
789
00:39:30,989 --> 00:39:33,440
to secretly send
copies of messages
790
00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:34,786
before they're encrypted,
791
00:39:34,786 --> 00:39:36,581
and after they've
been decrypted,
792
00:39:36,581 --> 00:39:38,790
direct to the police.
793
00:39:38,790 --> 00:39:40,136
- All those messages,
794
00:39:40,136 --> 00:39:42,241
all that information
that's being sent
795
00:39:42,241 --> 00:39:45,486
to be read by law
enforcement officials.
796
00:39:46,729 --> 00:39:49,352
- [Narrator] Faced with
an uncrackable code,
797
00:39:49,352 --> 00:39:53,218
the French team has achieved
the seemingly impossible.
798
00:39:53,218 --> 00:39:55,323
Without needing a digital key,
799
00:39:55,323 --> 00:39:58,292
they can now read all
of the secret messages
800
00:39:58,292 --> 00:40:01,191
sent by EncroChat's
criminal customers.
801
00:40:01,191 --> 00:40:04,263
- Every planned hit,
every planned kidnapping,
802
00:40:04,263 --> 00:40:05,782
every planned drug deal.
803
00:40:05,782 --> 00:40:08,751
They can just sit and watch in
real time and take it all in.
804
00:40:09,786 --> 00:40:11,201
- The National Crime Agency
805
00:40:11,201 --> 00:40:15,343
has said that breaking
the EncroChat network
806
00:40:15,343 --> 00:40:17,932
was the same, in effect,
807
00:40:17,932 --> 00:40:20,659
as cracking the
war-time Enigma code.
808
00:40:22,316 --> 00:40:24,422
- [Narrator] Instead
of cracking EncroChat's
809
00:40:24,422 --> 00:40:26,596
uncrackable encryption,
810
00:40:26,596 --> 00:40:28,184
French police have found a way
811
00:40:28,184 --> 00:40:30,807
to flip EncroChat
in their favor.
812
00:40:32,188 --> 00:40:35,916
Now, the once super-secure
system is working for the police
813
00:40:35,916 --> 00:40:37,814
against the criminals.
814
00:40:39,057 --> 00:40:41,404
And those criminals have no idea
815
00:40:41,404 --> 00:40:42,923
their incriminating messages
816
00:40:42,923 --> 00:40:45,615
are now in the hands of the law.
817
00:40:45,615 --> 00:40:47,099
- For about two months,
818
00:40:47,099 --> 00:40:49,723
the police, sitting in
their offices, in their HQ,
819
00:40:49,723 --> 00:40:52,104
can sit and watch every message,
820
00:40:52,104 --> 00:40:54,417
every kind of conversation
that's going on.
821
00:40:56,592 --> 00:40:58,283
- [Narrator] In the
first month alone,
822
00:40:58,283 --> 00:41:02,356
the French Digital Crime Team
captures 70 million messages
823
00:41:02,356 --> 00:41:07,395
from more than 32,000
phones in 121 countries.
824
00:41:08,396 --> 00:41:10,053
Realizing the vast scale
825
00:41:10,053 --> 00:41:13,401
of the criminal networks
relying on EncroChat,
826
00:41:13,401 --> 00:41:15,231
the French team joins forces
827
00:41:15,231 --> 00:41:18,337
with other European law
enforcement agencies.
828
00:41:18,337 --> 00:41:21,893
- This goldmine of
information is disseminated
829
00:41:21,893 --> 00:41:23,446
to each country involved
830
00:41:23,446 --> 00:41:26,863
and then to particular police
forces within each country
831
00:41:26,863 --> 00:41:28,486
to step in and take action.
832
00:41:29,625 --> 00:41:32,386
- France, Sweden,
Norway, Britain
833
00:41:32,386 --> 00:41:35,044
were all able to
share intelligence
834
00:41:35,044 --> 00:41:39,048
and sit and watch these 100
million encrypted messages
835
00:41:39,048 --> 00:41:42,085
between criminals
going backwards and
forwards in real time.
836
00:41:43,293 --> 00:41:45,330
- These are criminals
that law enforcement
837
00:41:45,330 --> 00:41:49,541
have tried to deal with
for many, many years.
838
00:41:49,541 --> 00:41:52,268
And they have been able to
operate on these devices
839
00:41:52,268 --> 00:41:55,064
believing that law
enforcement would never see
840
00:41:55,064 --> 00:41:57,722
what those criminal
exchanges were.
841
00:41:57,722 --> 00:42:00,000
[suspenseful music]
842
00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:01,898
- [Narrator] They
don't know it yet,
843
00:42:01,898 --> 00:42:04,660
but EncroChat and its
users are cornered.
844
00:42:06,247 --> 00:42:08,008
By the second week of June,
845
00:42:08,008 --> 00:42:10,458
after multiple
updates and fixes,
846
00:42:10,458 --> 00:42:12,564
EncroChat's mysterious
administrators
847
00:42:12,564 --> 00:42:16,464
finally realized their
supposedly bulletproof system
848
00:42:16,464 --> 00:42:18,881
has been fatally compromised.
849
00:42:18,881 --> 00:42:20,261
- In effect they're trapped.
850
00:42:20,261 --> 00:42:23,161
They can't send out any
more security updates.
851
00:42:23,161 --> 00:42:24,611
But at the same time,
852
00:42:24,611 --> 00:42:27,027
they can't instruct
all their users
853
00:42:27,027 --> 00:42:28,787
not to use EncroChat devices
854
00:42:28,787 --> 00:42:32,066
because they'll be left without
any communication system.
855
00:42:33,447 --> 00:42:36,554
- [Narrator] On the
night of June 12th, 2020,
856
00:42:36,554 --> 00:42:39,384
EncroChat hits the
self-destruct button.
857
00:42:39,384 --> 00:42:40,868
- They contact all the users
858
00:42:40,868 --> 00:42:43,940
and they tell them to
power off their devices,
859
00:42:43,940 --> 00:42:45,770
dispose of them, destroy them,
860
00:42:45,770 --> 00:42:48,013
throw them away,
don't use them again.
861
00:42:51,258 --> 00:42:53,053
It's the end of EncroChat.
862
00:42:54,744 --> 00:42:57,885
- [Narrator] But it's too late
for EncroChat's customers.
863
00:42:59,024 --> 00:43:01,026
Law enforcement
agencies across Europe
864
00:43:01,026 --> 00:43:04,443
now have everything they need
to bring the criminals down.
865
00:43:07,757 --> 00:43:10,760
The multinational,
multi-agency task force
866
00:43:10,760 --> 00:43:13,867
has unearthed a treasure
trove of criminal activity
867
00:43:13,867 --> 00:43:16,732
spanning Europe and beyond.
868
00:43:16,732 --> 00:43:19,769
- They can join the dots
between different organizations,
869
00:43:19,769 --> 00:43:21,599
different sales
that are happening,
870
00:43:21,599 --> 00:43:23,221
what shipments are coming in,
871
00:43:23,221 --> 00:43:25,085
who's gonna take
a hit out on who.
872
00:43:25,085 --> 00:43:29,468
It was the equivalent of
having an undercover officer
873
00:43:29,468 --> 00:43:32,989
within every single gang
across the world, pretty much.
874
00:43:34,508 --> 00:43:37,580
- [Narrator] But now those
gangs know they've been watched,
875
00:43:37,580 --> 00:43:40,618
which means law
enforcement's cover is blown.
876
00:43:42,033 --> 00:43:44,898
So the police have to hit
the criminals hard and fast.
877
00:43:46,244 --> 00:43:48,626
- Police are working
at breakneck speed.
878
00:43:48,626 --> 00:43:51,076
There are some people
whose lives are at risk
879
00:43:51,076 --> 00:43:53,976
because acts of violence
are gonna be carried out.
880
00:43:53,976 --> 00:43:55,184
At the same time,
881
00:43:55,184 --> 00:43:56,875
there are drug deals
that are being planned,
882
00:43:56,875 --> 00:43:59,637
that they need to
arrest those involved.
883
00:43:59,637 --> 00:44:00,879
- The clock is ticking,
884
00:44:00,879 --> 00:44:02,640
basically the police
have to now move.
885
00:44:02,640 --> 00:44:04,365
They've had their
window of opportunity.
886
00:44:04,365 --> 00:44:06,747
It's gonna be closed,
they have to move on it.
887
00:44:07,645 --> 00:44:10,717
[sirens wail]
888
00:44:10,717 --> 00:44:12,097
- [Narrator] Within 24 hours,
889
00:44:12,097 --> 00:44:14,721
police across Europe
make their move.
890
00:44:16,757 --> 00:44:20,209
[indiscriminate yelling]
891
00:44:21,762 --> 00:44:23,177
- These raids were so fast,
892
00:44:23,177 --> 00:44:25,732
so effective, and
happened at the same time,
893
00:44:25,732 --> 00:44:27,526
the criminals
couldn't do anything.
894
00:44:27,526 --> 00:44:30,633
And the realization that
it has to do with EncroChat
895
00:44:30,633 --> 00:44:32,186
would've installed absolute fear
896
00:44:32,186 --> 00:44:34,499
because if you haven't
been raided yet,
897
00:44:34,499 --> 00:44:35,534
it's probably coming.
898
00:44:37,191 --> 00:44:39,884
- Hundreds of arrests,
drugs being seized,
899
00:44:39,884 --> 00:44:41,609
money being recovered.
900
00:44:41,609 --> 00:44:46,580
I've reported and researched
on crime for about 25 years,
901
00:44:47,995 --> 00:44:49,617
and this is certainly the
biggest and most significant
902
00:44:49,617 --> 00:44:53,138
organized crime operation
that I've ever covered.
903
00:44:53,138 --> 00:44:54,484
- [Narrator] Across Europe,
904
00:44:54,484 --> 00:44:58,178
police forces arrest
at least 1500 criminals
905
00:44:58,178 --> 00:45:01,699
and seize millions of dollars
worth of illegal items,
906
00:45:01,699 --> 00:45:04,322
from guns to drugs.
907
00:45:04,322 --> 00:45:06,842
[suspenseful music]
908
00:45:06,842 --> 00:45:09,637
One of the most significant
arrests is in Britain.
909
00:45:11,018 --> 00:45:13,918
Just a few hours after
EncroChat warns its users
910
00:45:13,918 --> 00:45:16,092
their messages are
no longer secure,
911
00:45:17,438 --> 00:45:20,200
the piece of a quiet
English suburb is shattered.
912
00:45:22,167 --> 00:45:24,273
The modest street
in northwest England
913
00:45:24,273 --> 00:45:27,034
is home to dad of
three, Thomas Maher.
914
00:45:28,242 --> 00:45:29,830
- Thomas Maher owns
a trucking company.
915
00:45:29,830 --> 00:45:31,452
And behind that company,
916
00:45:31,452 --> 00:45:34,697
he was trafficking
serious Class A drugs,
917
00:45:34,697 --> 00:45:37,735
cocaine, heroin, across
Europe and Britain.
918
00:45:38,908 --> 00:45:41,152
And EncroChat actually
lifted the lid on him.
919
00:45:42,567 --> 00:45:44,707
- [Narrator] Hidden behind
the respectable facade
920
00:45:44,707 --> 00:45:47,572
and EncroChat's
encryption software,
921
00:45:47,572 --> 00:45:50,817
Maher operated a vast
drug smuggling network,
922
00:45:50,817 --> 00:45:52,888
working with Colombian cartels
923
00:45:52,888 --> 00:45:56,684
and some of Europe's most
notorious organized crime gangs.
924
00:45:58,721 --> 00:46:02,725
Police recover 10,000
messages sent via EncroChat
925
00:46:02,725 --> 00:46:04,658
involving Maher
during the period
926
00:46:04,658 --> 00:46:06,798
he was under investigation.
927
00:46:06,798 --> 00:46:08,662
- It emerges that Thomas Maher,
928
00:46:08,662 --> 00:46:12,148
in one month alone
in April 2020,
929
00:46:12,148 --> 00:46:14,875
is coordinating
shipments of cocaine
930
00:46:14,875 --> 00:46:18,845
to and from the Netherlands
worth over $2 million.
931
00:46:21,986 --> 00:46:23,781
- [Narrator] And
thanks EncroChat,
932
00:46:23,781 --> 00:46:26,991
he coordinated all this from
the comfort of his home.
933
00:46:28,855 --> 00:46:32,444
- Thomas Maher's drug operation
is actually a prime example
934
00:46:32,444 --> 00:46:34,792
of how with the
use of EncroChat,
935
00:46:34,792 --> 00:46:37,277
he, as the sort of
kingpin of his operation,
936
00:46:37,277 --> 00:46:39,589
didn't even have
to leave his sofa.
937
00:46:39,589 --> 00:46:41,971
- [Narrator] But he
certainly saw the profits.
938
00:46:45,078 --> 00:46:47,839
- When police raided
Thomas Maher's premises,
939
00:46:47,839 --> 00:46:50,393
they found a fleet
of luxury cars,
940
00:46:50,393 --> 00:46:54,846
luxury watches, a map
made out of bullets,
941
00:46:54,846 --> 00:46:57,642
which must have been
valued about 20,000 pounds.
942
00:46:59,540 --> 00:47:01,680
- [Narrator] Maher is
one of hundreds of people
943
00:47:01,680 --> 00:47:05,477
arrested in the UK as a
result of the EncroChat sting.
944
00:47:07,479 --> 00:47:09,999
- These are not
street-level criminals.
945
00:47:09,999 --> 00:47:13,140
These are the kingpin of
organized crime groups
946
00:47:13,140 --> 00:47:14,486
living the lavish lifestyle
947
00:47:14,486 --> 00:47:16,868
on the back of
criminal proceeds,
948
00:47:16,868 --> 00:47:18,836
who we have now
been able to get to,
949
00:47:18,836 --> 00:47:20,941
having never got as
close to them before.
950
00:47:22,218 --> 00:47:24,186
- [Narrator] So
far, British police
951
00:47:24,186 --> 00:47:27,568
have seized 106
EncroChat handsets,
952
00:47:27,568 --> 00:47:30,917
77 guns, two tons of drugs,
953
00:47:30,917 --> 00:47:35,887
28 million illicit pills, and
nearly $70 million in cash.
954
00:47:38,683 --> 00:47:43,032
The effect on the criminal
community has been cataclysmic.
955
00:47:43,032 --> 00:47:44,758
- One criminal spoke
to me and he said
956
00:47:44,758 --> 00:47:46,139
that people are
just disappearing.
957
00:47:46,139 --> 00:47:48,520
It's crazy, the supplies
are being shut off.
958
00:47:48,520 --> 00:47:51,385
It was like a house of cards
that collapsed all at once
959
00:47:51,385 --> 00:47:54,009
in June 2020.
960
00:47:54,009 --> 00:47:55,286
[suspenseful music]
961
00:47:55,286 --> 00:47:56,804
- [Narrator] Across Europe,
962
00:47:56,804 --> 00:48:01,119
countless organized criminal
gangs faced the same fate.
963
00:48:01,119 --> 00:48:03,639
And this is just the beginning.
964
00:48:03,639 --> 00:48:05,089
- The encrypted communication
965
00:48:05,089 --> 00:48:07,677
gave an inside view on all
kinds of criminal activities.
966
00:48:07,677 --> 00:48:10,370
So all this will lead to
more arrests, more seizures,
967
00:48:10,370 --> 00:48:12,959
and dismantling of
criminal networks.
968
00:48:12,959 --> 00:48:15,823
[suspenseful music]
969
00:48:15,823 --> 00:48:19,344
- [Narrator] Today,
arrests continue to be made
970
00:48:19,344 --> 00:48:21,657
as police unpick the
web of connections
971
00:48:21,657 --> 00:48:24,039
between organized
criminal gangs.
972
00:48:25,419 --> 00:48:27,835
But already the
EncroChat investigation
973
00:48:27,835 --> 00:48:30,183
is one of the largest
and most sophisticated
974
00:48:30,183 --> 00:48:32,047
police operations ever
975
00:48:32,047 --> 00:48:34,912
in the fight against
serious organized crime.
976
00:48:36,568 --> 00:48:37,845
- Where there's crime,
977
00:48:37,845 --> 00:48:39,571
there has to be secrecy,
978
00:48:39,571 --> 00:48:41,263
and where you want secrecy,
979
00:48:41,263 --> 00:48:42,920
there has to be a code,
980
00:48:42,920 --> 00:48:44,922
and it's a game of cat and mouse
981
00:48:44,922 --> 00:48:48,339
between the organized
criminals and law enforcement.
982
00:48:48,339 --> 00:48:50,237
[sirens wail]
983
00:48:50,237 --> 00:48:52,550
- It seemed like an
unbreakable system,
984
00:48:52,550 --> 00:48:55,070
but police were able to
get around the encryption
985
00:48:55,070 --> 00:48:57,762
by turning the phones
against themselves.
986
00:48:57,762 --> 00:49:00,282
- That doesn't mean that
organized crime is dead.
987
00:49:00,282 --> 00:49:01,697
It's never dead,
988
00:49:01,697 --> 00:49:04,010
but it has been a huge dent
989
00:49:04,010 --> 00:49:06,771
for many criminal networks
right across Europe.
990
00:49:07,945 --> 00:49:09,739
- [Narrator] And it's
all thanks to a code
991
00:49:09,739 --> 00:49:11,465
that couldn't be cracked.
992
00:49:11,465 --> 00:49:13,536
To the unseen
software developers
993
00:49:13,536 --> 00:49:15,883
and cyber crime specialists,
994
00:49:15,883 --> 00:49:19,094
led by the incredible
French team of investigators
995
00:49:19,094 --> 00:49:23,305
who turned EncroChat's
encryption against itself
996
00:49:23,305 --> 00:49:26,653
and transformed the
criminal's greatest asset
997
00:49:26,653 --> 00:49:28,172
into their worst enemy.
998
00:49:30,691 --> 00:49:33,798
[suspenseful music]
999
00:50:10,214 --> 00:50:12,906
[chimes sound]
79230
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