Leaked Documents Unveil Meta’s Covert Efforts to Intercept and Decode Snapchat Traffic
In a startling revelation, newly released documents from a federal court in California have exposed Facebook’s clandestine project, codenamed “Ghostbusters,” aimed at spying on Snapchat users. The internal project, which employed MITM (Man-in-the-middle) attacks, sheds light on Meta’s controversial tactics to gather sensitive user data from rival platforms. Here’s what the documents reveal:
Project Ghostbusters: Facebook’s Covert Operation
Initiated in 2016, “Project Ghostbusters” was Facebook’s covert endeavor to intercept and decode communication between Snapchat’s servers and users. Concealed under the guise of understanding user behavior, the project aimed to gain insights into Snapchat’s rapidly growing user base. The project’s name, a nod to Snapchat’s ghost logo, underscored its secretive nature.
Legal Disclosure: Documents in Class Action Lawsuit
The documents came to light as part of an ongoing class-action lawsuit between users and Meta, the parent company of Facebook. Apart from Snapchat, the project also targeted user data from prominent platforms like Amazon and YouTube, raising concerns over Meta’s privacy practices.
In-App Action Panel and MITM Attacks
“Project Ghostbusters” operated within Facebook’s broader In-App Action Panel (IAPP) program, designed to gain a competitive advantage by intercepting and decrypting traffic from rival platforms. Utilizing MITM attacks facilitated by Onavo “kits,” the project aimed to extract detailed in-app activity data from Snapchat users.
Email Correspondence: Zuckerberg’s Involvement
Emails included in the leaked documents revealed discussions among Facebook executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, regarding strategies to gather analytics on Snapchat users. Zuckerberg’s emails underscored the urgency to devise methods for obtaining reliable analytics, emphasizing the need to explore custom software solutions.
Past Controversies: Cambridge Analytica and Beyond
The revelation of “Project Ghostbusters” adds to Meta’s history of controversial privacy practices, reminiscent of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. This latest disclosure underscores ongoing concerns surrounding Meta’s handling of user data and raises questions about its commitment to user privacy.
While Meta has yet to respond to the recent revelations, the exposure of “Project Ghostbusters” highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in the tech industry.
