A reader alerted me to this article, which shows that Harris Corporation has more to offer than just the Stingray:
…marketing materials come with a warning that anyone distributing them outside law enforcement agencies or telecom firms could be committing a crime punishable by up to five years in jail.
These little-known cousins of the Stingray cannot only track movements—they can also perform denial-of-service attacks on phones and intercept conversations.
…documents indicate that the Stingray can also be used with software called “FishHawk,” which boosts the device’s capabilities by allowing authorities to eavesdrop on conversations. Other similar Harris software includes “Porpoise,” which is sold on a USB drive and is designed to be installed on a laptop and used in conjunction with transceivers—possibly including the Stingray—for surveillance of text messages.
…Agencies: Federal authorities have spent more than $30 million on Stingrays and related equipment and training since 2004, according to procurement records. Purchasing agencies include the FBI, DEA, Secret Service, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Internal Revenue Service, the Army, and the Navy. Cops in Arizona, Maryland, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, and California have also either purchased or considered purchasing the devices, according to public records. In one case, procurement records show cops in Miami obtained a Stingray to monitor phones at a free trade conference held in Miami in 2003.
Other devices Harris sell are variations on the Stingray theme, including Triggerfish, Gossamer, Amberjack, Kingfish, Harpoon and Hailstorm. The latter is brand new & even more powerful than Stingray, although little is known about it at this stage.
