In the aftermath of an attempted attack on former President Donald Trump, various encrypted applications discovered on the perpetrator’s mobile device kindled speculation among Trump’s followers. This led to suspicions that the incident was not the work of a single individual. Rep. Matt Waltz, R-Fla., in one of his appearances on Fox News suggested a connection between the the aggressor, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, and purported plans by Iran to target Trump as revealed by U.S. intelligence.
Conservative stalwart and commentator Laura Loomer echoed this sentiment in a post, questioning the significant puzzle piece: ‘Why would a 20-year-old recluse possess 3 encrypted offshore bank accounts? Who could possibly be funding him from abroad?’ President Trump himself drew attention to encryption’s involvement in the case. During a Fox News interview, he stated that Crooks had a lineup of encrypted numbers, linked to foreign countries.
The trio — Waltz, Loomer, and Trump — withheld the underlying reports or data that backed their assertions. By July 24, according to FBI Director Christopher Wray, all substantial evidence pointed to Crooks operating as a lone wolf. Neither the investigators nor any other relevant sources confirmed that Crooks held any offshore bank accounts.
There seems to be some misunderstanding surrounding the use of ‘encryption’ in Crooks’ activities. This term simply refers to a common measure employed in various online applications and communications to secure data. Leading news outlets such as Politico, Axios, and CBS News disclosed that senior Secret Service and FBI officials updated Congress on July 17 regarding the investigation into the attempted attack that occurred on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Based on anonymous sources, these reports stated that officials notified lawmakers via a private call that their efforts to access three encrypted networks used by Crooks on his cell phone were ongoing. Waltz’s remarks about Crooks’ ‘three encrypted accounts overseas’ took place after this briefing.
Such coverage did not mention banking activities, and it remains unclear what inspired Loomer’s claims about Crooks’ foreign bank accounts. Following this briefing, no additional public information from the FBI or any reliable authorities corroborated the foreign bank account allegations.
Expert opinion from Ross Delston, a prominent independent lawyer and certified anti-money laundering specialist, suggests that the ‘encrypted overseas bank accounts’ claim is unprecedented. He states that opening such accounts in a well-regulated jurisdiction is a complex process. These jurisdictions would typically require a substantial minimum deposit along with thorough customer vetting.
He further clarified that countries like Germany, New Zealand, and Belgium are considered well-regulated jurisdictions. Delston added, ‘Unless there’s a lot of money involved, there would be little interest in opening an account’ for an individual like Crooks, who is neither a high-net-worth client nor a prominent figure.
When questioned about Crooks’ use of encrypted networks and accounts, an FBI representative referred PolitiFact to Wray’s testimony during the House Judiciary Committee hearing on July 24. Wray confirmed that some of Crooks’ accounts had been accessed, and the agency was continuing its efforts to breach others.
The FBI director added that Crooks had various encrypted messaging applications installed on his device, and the agency was working towards unlocking those communication platforms. He also highlighted that due to some of Crooks’ activities and transactions involving overseas firms, certain overseas FBI branches were also participating in the investigations.
Encryption is a highly prevalent security measure; its use alone does not demonstrate involvement in any criminal conspiracy, according to technology experts. Thomas Hyslip, a criminology professor from the University of South Florida and former cybercrime investigator, clarified that encryption is a daily part of our lives. From cell phones to computers, a significant proportion of communication that takes place is encrypted.
Hyslip pointed out that ‘iMessage uses encryption, so all your messages are encrypted between the sender and receiver.’ He also mentioned that website browsing with ‘https’ ensures your data is encrypted during transmission. Many communication applications such as WhatsApp, Signal, Zoom, and Telegram use encryption features to safeguard the data.
Similarly, ubiquitous banking applications like those from Wells Fargo or Chase, as well as money transfer platforms like Venmo, Apple Pay, and PayPal, employ encryption to secure transactions, as publicized on their websites. ‘Privacy and security have become non-negotiables in today’s consumer market,’ said John Sammons, Associate Director and Professor at Marshall University’s Institute for Cyber Security.
Clifford Neuman, a Computer Science Practice Professor at University of Southern California’s Information Sciences Institute, simplified the concept of encryption. He explained that in many instances, data undergoes encryption while it is being transported, is then decrypted on the servers, and finally re-encrypted before it reaches its destination.
However, when data remains encrypted on the servers, law enforcement can typically access it via a warrant or subpoena, depending on jurisdiction and data location. Neuman noted that ‘encrypted messaging’ usually implies end-to-end encryption, which ensures that the data is not decrypted on the servers, making it far more challenging for third parties or authorities to intercept.
He further added that numerous messaging applications provide this level of encryption as default, and many individuals use it for completely legitimate purposes. Despite the existence of firm, virtually unbreakable encryption posing significant hurdles for law enforcement, our experts agreed that the mere usage of encryption by Crooks doesn’t conclusively prove his involvement in a larger criminal network or plot.
Trump Remains Unscathed After Elaborate Attack Attempt appeared first on Real News Now.
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