CS 4001Mary Jean Harrold1 Class 8 Questions about term paper—list of possible topics available later today Communications discussion Communications assignment
CS 4001Mary Jean Harrold2 Intercepting Communications Thanks to Sherry Clark for her notes
CS 4001Mary Jean Harrold3 Outline Overview of the Controversies Intercepting Communications Cryptography and Its Uses Encryption Policy: Access to Software, Keys, and Plaintext Fundamental Issues
CS 4001Mary Jean Harrold4 Overview of Controversies Communications Privacy Affected by Interception of communications, including: Telephone, , and Web activity. Restrictions on secure encryption. Exportation of strong encryption was viewed as a threat to national security. CALEA (Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act. Communications technology must assist law enforcement, not hinder. Global surveillance systems. The constitutionality of domestic systems and the necessity of international systems are under question.
CS 4001Mary Jean Harrold5 Q: Can law enforcement intercept communications without a court order? Intercepting Communications (1) Wiretapping Telephone: Pre-1934: used widely by government, businesses, and private sector. 1934: the Federal Communications Act disallowed unauthorized wiretaps; many ignored the law. 1968: the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act restricted wiretapping by requiring a court order.
CS 4001Mary Jean Harrold6 Intercepting Communications (2) Wiretapping New Technologies: 1986: Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and its amendments restricted government interception of , cell-phones, etc. 2001: USA Patriot Act loosened restrictions on government wiretapping and communications interception. Q : Does the USA Patriot Act supersede ECPAs restrictions?
CS 4001Mary Jean Harrold7 Q : Why did privacy advocates object to CALEA? Intercepting Communications (3) Designing Communications Systems for Interception and Tracking Obstacles to interception: Incomplete pen-registers as a result of long distance service. Packet-mode communications ( , file transfers, Internet phones). Solutions: CALEA: Requires telecommunications equipment be designed to ensure interception by law enforcement (with court order).
CS 4001Mary Jean Harrold8 Q: CALEA allows for the interception of PINs. Do you support this use? Intercepting Communications (4) Designing Communications Systems for Interception and Tracking (cont’d) CALEA Costs include modified hardware, software, and overuse by authorities. Wiretappable systems vulnerable to criminal hacking, industrial spies, etc.. Competition weakened due to restricted changes and diversities. Civil liberties threatened by nationwide standard for surveillance.
CS 4001Mary Jean Harrold9 Q : Does Carnivore violate the 4 th Amendment? Intercepting Communications (5) Carnivore FBI’s system to intercept with a court order. Pro: Law enforcement needs this tool to fight crime. Con: All goes through FBI’s Carnivore system.
CS 4001Mary Jean Harrold10 Q : Should the NSA be permitted to intercept all entering and leaving the U.S.? Intercepting Communications (6) NSA and Echelon NSA (National Security Agency): Collects and analyzes communications to find threats to national security. Echelon: Member nations intercept communications for each other.
CS 4001Mary Jean Harrold11 Communications Assignment Discuss and work on in groups of 2-3