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Gemalto says past intrusions could be related to NSA, GCHQ op

February 25, 2015

By Danielle Walker

In hindsight, SIM card maker Gemalto believes that two intrusions it detected several years ago, could be related to a government spy operation revealed in Snowden leaks.

Gemalto promised last Friday that it would investigate an alleged plot by NSA and GCHQ to hack its systems and obtain SIM card encryption keys protecting consumers' cell phone communications. On Wednesday, the company followed up on the claims initially presented by The Intercept, revealing that “two particularly sophisticated intrusions” it detected in 2010 and 2011 could be related to the surveillance operation.

The company added, however, that the intrusions “only breached its office networks and could not have resulted in a massive theft of SIM encryption keys,” as was detailed in reports last week.

In its statement, Gemalto said it does not intend to communicate further on the claims “unless a significant development occurs.”