Service provider collaboration is the process by which an entity that has information about you because it provides a service to you provides that information to an adversary. Service provider collaboration can provide both current and historical information.
The State can legally compel service providers to provide information, depending on the context. For example:
- Spain, a State with a high degree of control over companies located within its jurisdiction, can very easily compel Spanish mobile network operators to provide information on Spanish mobile network users.
- Iran, a State with no diplomatic relations with Canada, cannot compel the Canada Revenue Agency to provide information on Canadian taxpayers.
Both non-State adversaries and the State can obtain service provider information through:
- Corruption: purchasing service provider information sold by corrupt individuals with access to the information (e.g., service provider employees, police officers).
- Data leaks[1]: obtaining service provider information through unauthorized exposure, disclosure, or loss of the information (e.g., a service provider database is hacked and an adversary buys it on the black market).
Used in tactics: Incrimination
Sub-techniques
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Service provider collaboration | ||
| Mobile network operators | Mobile network operators can provide information about you to an adversary. | |
| Other | Service providers other than mobile network operators can provide information about you to an adversary. | |