In article <telecom23.427.7@telecom-digest.org>, Jack Decker <VOIP
News> says:
> http://www.americasnetwork.com/americasnetwork/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=121788
> Source: Warren Publishing, Inc.
> COMMUNICATIONS DAILY via NewsEdge Corporation : FBI and Justice
> Dept. officials told the House Telecom Subcommittee Wed. that there
> have been difficulties establishing wiretaps through some VoIP
> carriers. While members emphasized the importance of law enforcement
> having access to VoIP communications, some had questions about DoJ's
> and FBI's problems with access and if updates to the Communications
> Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) were needed. While the DoJ
> and FBI said they were trying to "work with" VoIP providers, they also
> said many products were introduced without thought to CALEA, though
> they declined to provide any specifics.
> Some members wanted more information about the problems FBI and DoJ
> officials face from VoIP providers when trying to obtain a
> wiretap. Laura Parsky, DoJ deputy asst. attorney general, said the
> information about specific problems was too sensitive. "We don't want
> terrorists migrating to these networks," she said. Marcus Thomas, FBI
> deputy asst. director, said it didn't appear to be "disingenuous effort"
> that prevented law enforcement access to networks. Rather, he said,
> many have deployed networks without giving much thought to law
> enforcement access. Thomas said CALEA was supposed to create an
> atmosphere where innovators factored CALEA standards into its
> development, but that atmosphere never developed. Rep. Buyer (R-Ind.)
> told law enforcement witnesses that they should do a better job of
> articulating their concerns, since they appeared to be rather
> vague. Parsky said more information could be given in a classified
> forum.
I'm pretty sure that most VoIP providers encrypt from the terminal
adapter back to the server. But everything is based on IP aware
telephone switches so it isn't a problem to tap at the switch.
It's because law enforcement by and large is ignorant when it comes to
technology.
Even the FBI, the leading agency in the U.S. trips over it's own feet
when it comes to information technology.
Tony P. (kd1s@nospamplease.cox.reallynospam.net)