Australia’s decryption laws have been used on a global scale, after legions of dodgy operators were taken down by the AN0M app. 

In an extensive press conference last week, federal authorities claimed a role in a global sting described as the “most significant operation in policing history here in Australia” by Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews.

About 500 search warrants had been executed, leading to the arrests of 224 people, who were charged with more than 525 offences. Police also seized 104 guns, around $45 million in cash and tonnes of drugs.

But the activities in Australia were just one part of a much larger operation, codenamed Trojan Shield, involving authorities in the Americas, Europe and New Zealand.

The massive sting was made possible by a compromised encrypted messaging app called AN0M. 

AN0M branded phones and messaging had gained currency in the underworld over the last three years after being promoted by drug kingpins such as Australia's most wanted man, Hakan Ayik. 

It was created by a software developer who had been arrested by the FBI and began to work for them, creating secret backdoors in the app that allowed messages to be forwarded to law enforcement without the knowledge of the user. Reports say most of those caught using the app appeared to believe it was highly secure, and made no effort to obscure their behaviour with any kind of coded language or innuendo. 

The AN0M system was first distributed by police informants, before its popularity began to rise organically. All the while, police were running the entire system.

Australia’s role appears to have been based on the encryption-busting laws it introduced in 2018. For the last few years, Australia’s intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been allowed to demand access to end-to-end encrypted digital communications. 

In last week’s press conference, it was revealed that the Australian Federal Police (AFP) were able to provide the technology to decrypt and store each message as they were transmitted.

While the global sting has raised questions about peoples’ right to communicate privately, few have criticised what appears to be a powerful increase in authorities’ ability to respond to cyber threats.

More details on the leadup and outcome of the operation are accessible here.