Israeli firm Cognyte markets mobile cell-site simulator for law enforcement use

Cognyte, an Israeli surveillance company, has begun marketing a mobile cell-site simulator called FalcoNet to U.S. law enforcement agencies, including a contract with the state of Texas. The technology mimics a mobile phone tower, forcing nearby phones to connect to it, which allows authorities to monitor devices in the vicinity regardless of whether they belong to suspects.

According to contract documents reviewed by Forbes and cited by Schneier on Security, FalcoNet can be deployed in multiple form factors: concealed within vehicles, carried in backpacks for on-foot operations, or attached to helicopters. This versatility expands the potential use cases for cell-site simulators beyond fixed locations.

The underlying technology is comparable to the Stingray systems produced by L3Harris, which have previously drawn scrutiny for their use in law enforcement operations. Cell-site simulators operate by impersonating legitimate cell towers, tricking nearby devices into connecting and revealing their locations and other identifying data.

The Texas Department of Public Safety’s contract with Cognyte, referenced in reporting and linked materials, outlines use cases that include mapping local criminal networks and addressing challenges posed by terrorism or rogue state actors. However, the documents do not detail specific legal or procedural safeguards governing data collection or minimization.

Public interest groups have raised questions about oversight, transparency, and the potential for incidental collection of data from individuals not under investigation. Critics argue that the deployment of such tools without clear legal guardrails risks undermining public trust in policing and surveillance technologies.