Triggerfish

Triggerfish technology, also known as cellular network simulation, is not so new. In 1990, such devices were used in the capture of Kevin Mitnick. Posing as a cell tower, the triggerfish equipment waits for the nearest telephones to send a serial number, phone call, or other data directly to the monitors. The first descriptions of technology say that because of the limited range, it is applicable as the last step in determining the position of a cell phone. Prior to this, cellular providers must first provide an approximate location (for example, the last used cell).

This summer, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation filed a lawsuit demanding the provision of mobile phone tracking documents. Since August, they have received many documents under the Freedom of Information Act (the last of them is dated November 6), and posted them on the Internet. In the Daily Kos blog, Rachel Myers drew attention to several places in the documents, from which it follows that Triggerfish technology can be applied much more widely than previously thought.

A small digression. In order for the provider to give the law enforcement authorities information about the phone they are interested in, it is not enough for them to simply come and demand - they need to provide evidence (Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, Stored Communications Act). And the requirements for evidence are becoming stricter every year. To use the phone tracking tools, a court authorization is also required.

Judging by the electronic intelligence guide laid out in the network according to the Freedom of Information Act, triggerfish devices can bypass the restrictions imposed on such devices in the United States. As stated in this guide, “these restrictions apply only to the collection of data on incoming and outgoing calls by means of the provider’s own funds - and not to information collected directly by law enforcement agencies”. Most likely, the determination of the position of a mobile phone is now technically possible even without the assistance of the operator.
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UPD: thanks for the minuses in karma.