Strzok and Page cell phones contained secret database of text messages

I'm sure many will remember Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and the affair that they are reported to have had during their investigation. Remember also there was a hoopla over the text messages they sent including mention of an "insurance policy," among other things?

Remember also that there were a bunch of texts that were missing due to a 'glitch' in the software which was supposed to record and keep all messages sent? Remember that these were eventually recovered?

I don't know that we ever knew for certain how those missing texts were recovered, but it seems as though this may have been how that was done. The issue here is, that this secret database was not known about by the FBI:

In addition, during the OIG’s forensic examination of FBI mobile devices that were used by the two employees, the OIG discovered a database on the mobile devices containing a plain text repository of a substantial number of text messages sent and received by those devices. Neither ESOC nor the vendor of the application was aware of the existence, origin, or purpose of this database. OIG analysis of the text messages in the database compared to ESOC productions of text messages during the same time periods when the collection tool was functional identified a significant number of text messages found in the database that were missing from the ESOC production. Furthermore, the Subject Matter Expert with whom the OIG consulted in connection with its forensic analysis of the devices identified additional potential security vulnerabilities regarding the collection application. The OIG has provided these findings to the FBI.

Procedural Reform Recommendation for the Federal Bureau of Investigation-(direct .pdf link)

I don't know about any of you, but I am more than a little uncomfortable with the fact that FBI cell phones contained a secret database of plain text text messages sent by that phone of which the FBI was completely unaware. What sorts of things might such a database contain and to what purpose could that information be put? Who had access to this database?

This also leads me to question whether or not any other agenecy's cell phones contain such security vulnerabilities and if so, are they being addressed?

Related OIG documents:

A Review of Various Actions by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice in Advance of the 2016 Election-(direct .pdf link)

Report of Investigation: Recovery of Text Messages From Certain FBI Mobile Devices-(direct .pdf link)

Related ATS thread:

DOJ recovers missing text messages between anti-Trump FBI agents Strzok and Page - by Grambler

OIG Report Released: Full text - by Zelun

FBI agent Strzok reportedly texted 'we'll stop' Trump from becoming president - by GuidedKill

FBI agent removed from Russia probe for anti-Trump texts says he’s willing to testify - by xuenchen

New FBI Strzok Texts Reveal Massive Top Level Conspiracy To Evade Security & Monitering - by burntheships

What says ATS?

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

I've been out of the "hackiness" loop for some time, but isn't that just a flat text file, or flat file DBase?

Like I've.. erm.. heard that is the end product of a keylogger?

So FBI phones have been found with keyloggers on them?

~blink~

I guess one could only hope that said files were from their own department's deployed software...

If not, holy crap.

An EXCELLENT OP and I have to sleep now but it is certainly an interesting topic to keep abreast of...

S&F

a reply to: Lumenari

I guess one could only hope that said files were from their own department's deployed software...

According to the OIG report, the FBI's Enterprise Security Operations Center (ESOC) did not know the database was there, nor how it got there, nor its purpose as per the bold and underlined section of the excerpt I quoted in the OP. The vendor from which they purchased the backup software which was supposed to capture and log all text messages likewise did not know anything at all about this database.

The procedural reform included 5 recommendations based upon the OIG findings, the last of which, I believe addresses this database:

Verify and address the security vulnerabilities identified by the Subject Matter Expert with whom the OIG consulted, which have been provided to the FBI. Current and future mobile devices and data collection and preservation tools should be tested for security vulnerabilities in order to ensure the security of the devices and the safekeeping of the sensitive data therein.

It sure seems to me that by referring to this hidden database as a, "security vulnerability," that they were unaware of the existence of the database and that it could be considered potentially harmful.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

It may have been considered potentially harmful because it was more than potentially the output file of a keylogger.

Which means they were most likely hacked.

The FBI.

Which to be honest may be a product of the CIA, the DIA put in there for fun by the FBI.

Our intelligence agencies are actually a whole bunch of clowns running around in a circus ring with an occasional person coming in and yelling "QUIET!!"

No oversight, no budget, no nothing.

HOWEVER.

If this was something outside the circus tent, then it gets interesting.

I have to poke around on this tomorrow.. fascinating subject.

a reply to: Lumenari

Your analogy of a circus is quite apt, as is your contention that the possibility that this dbase is a result of something from out side the tent.

I look forward to seeing what you're able to ferret out regarding this because I'm certain we won't be seeing any news articles on this topic. And even if there were, there would be scads of garbage to sift through in order to find anything of actual interest.

Hopefully some other code monkeys and tech types will hone in on this as well and lend their knowledge.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

A poster in another thread about this a little while ago suggested that this sounds like the NSA has just handed over their copies. All of a sudden, 'hey, look what we found hidden on the phone!', which makes everything admissible...

Don't know how true it is, but nothing would surprise me lately...

Will be Following this post ....you won’t see this in the news !!

My initial opinion has not changed: Strzok and Page are/were CIA/intelligence assets in their respective departments. Finding that they had heretofore unknown data storage is not something I am shocked to hear.

The question is who was giving them orders?

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Thats all I have to say.

Have fun with this.... I know that you will.

a reply to: Meldionne1

Nope, which is why I created this thread. I mean it is possible some news organization will pick it up, but doubtful in my mind.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

I know Strzok had been considered by many, me included, to be a company asset due to his father's being a company man, but I don't recall any particular connections between Page and the CIA. Of course I may have forgotten reading about such or missed it in all of the multitude of threads about these two, so I'm curious as to what you base your idea that Page may have also been CIA?

a reply to: Sillyolme

Thanks for the thread bump, that's about the only value your posts have.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

Not all together a surprise given all the forced hiring, law of averages talent and general demoralization in the Bureau. Not what they used to be

Back in Hoover's day when 6' tall GMEN in dark suits showed up you knew they meant business. Now, half these fools look like scrawny book worms that couldn't whip their way out of a wet paper bag

Sickening, the whole lot - from Comey, to Strozok, McCabe, Ohr, and so many more.

Chicken #'s

I believe they're guilty of treason, and should face the proscribed consequences for that.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

Silly is an AI bot

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

Her complicity with strzok

In a world where FBI higher ups are working together to overthrow the ligimat government of the United States it stands to reason that these people aren't the most trusting of even each other.

I wouldn't be surprised if one of them put the millisous software on the others phones as an "insurance policy" in case they ever turned on each other or to create a patsy if they ever got caught.