North American Network Operators Group

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Re: ISP CALEA compliance

  • From: Sean Donelan
  • Date: Thu May 10 15:22:18 2007


On Thu, 10 May 2007, Jason Frisvold wrote:
Here's a question that's come up around here.  Does a CALEA intercept
include "hairpining" or is it *only* traffic leaving your network?
I'm of the opinion that a CALEA intercept request includes every bit
of traffic being sent or received by the targeted individual, but
there is strong opposition here that thinks only internet-related
traffic counts.

The DOJ/FBI has been pretty consistent. They want it all and if there is a technicality in the law that doesn't give it to them they have consistently tried to expand the laws, regulations and court cases to give it to them. If you want to be the test case, talk to your lawyers about how little you can do.


But its also important to remember CALEA compliance and responding to a Title III intercept court order are not necessarily the same thing.

CALEA is only a subset of stuff some carriers have to be prepared to do for "Free." Other wiretaps requiring things above and beyond CALEA can be done for a time and materials billing to law enforcement after you get an lawful order (which can vary depending on what is demanded). For example, a Title III, FISA or ECPA lawful order can apply to traffic and institutions not covered by CALEA. ISPs have been responding to lawful orders for over a decade, even before CALEA was a law. And the reality
is most of the stuff law enforcement actually wants from ISPs on a day to
day basis isn't covered by CALEA (i.e. stored communications and transaction records).


http://www.fcc.gov/calea/

  All facilities-based broadband Internet access providers and providers
  of interconnected VoIP service have until May 14, 2007 to come into
  compliance with CALEA.

So are you a

   Facilities-based? (DSL v. cable, dark fiber v. ATM?)
   Broadband? (< 200Kbps?)
   Internet? (VPN?)
   Access? (backbone v. access?)
   Provider? (freenets or paid?)

or are you a

   Provider?
   Interconnected?
   VoIP?
   Service?

If the answer is yes, talk to your lawyer before May 14. If the answer is
maybe, talk to your lawer, if the answer is I don't know, talk to your lawyer. And if the answer is no, you probably should still talk to your
lawyer.