StopICE App Breach and SMS Alert Abuse via Downstream Carrier API
StopICE, an app used to track U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity, reported a security incident after users received SMS messages urging them to uninstall the app. StopICE administrators attributed the activity to a “personal server” allegedly associated with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent and said the attacker abused a downstream carrier API to spam users rather than compromising StopICE’s core systems. Public claims on social media alleged that attackers accessed and shared user data with law enforcement, including names, credentials, phone numbers, and location data; StopICE disputed holding most of that data and said the only potentially impacted population was users who opted into a “location assist” feature that collected geolocation to provide neighborhood-level alerts.
Separate reporting amplified allegations that over 100,000 users’ information (including GPS coordinates) was accessed and transmitted to U.S. federal agencies (FBI, ICE, HSI), and criticized StopICE leadership for allegedly not notifying users promptly. The same reporting period also included claims of a related compromise affecting another ICE-tracking app, Eyes Up, where attackers alleged the backend database lacked authentication and that they accessed/altered stored videos; no confirmation from Eyes Up was cited. Overall, the incident highlights risks from third-party messaging/telecom integrations and the potential safety impact of exposing activist-related location data, even when only a subset of users enable location-based features.
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