Interesting People mailing list archives
more on FBI plans new Net-tapping push
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Sat, 8 Jul 2006 13:23:43 -0400
Begin forwarded message: From: Brett Glass <brett () lariat net> Date: July 8, 2006 12:09:42 PM EDT To: dave () farber net, ip () v2 listbox com Subject: Re: [IP] FBI plans new Net-tapping push Declan McCullagh writes:
The 27-page proposed CALEA amendments seen by CNET News.com would: • Require any manufacturer of "routing" and "addressing" hardware tooffer upgrades or other "modifications" that are needed to support Internet wiretapping. Current law does require that of telephone switch manufacturers--but not makers of routers and network address translation hardware like Cisco Systems and 2Wire.
Apparently, the FBI is not aware that virtually every product that speaks the TCP/IP protocol has built-in routing capabilities. For example, if you go to "Show all programs/Accessories/Command Prompt" in any recent version of Microsoft Windows and type the command "route print", you'll see your PC's TCP/IP routing table. Ditto if you open "Applications/Utilities/Terminal" on a Macintosh and type the command "netstat -ran". The small routers, wireless access points, and firewalls curently used on virtually all networks likewise have routing capabilities, as do game machines such as the XBox. Even your printer or copier -- if it has an Ethernet interface for connection to a network -- does TCP/IP routing.
While the term "'addressing' hardware" is vague, let's assume that it means that a product is capable of acting as a server for the DHCP protocol (which assigns IP addresses to devices on a network) or possibly as a router which performs network address translation (NAT). This too would sweep in every personal computer, workstation, and server, as well as (again) most network appliances.
All of these devices would thus be required to be tappable (and, thus, insecure).
What's more, the proposed amendments would likely define the providers of Wi-Fi hotspots and Internet kiosks (e.g. at hotels and cybercafes) as Internet service providers who would be obliged to make provisions for government wiretapping.
Finally, it is unclear what such amendments would mean for ISPs, such as myself, which build their own Internet routers using open source software (in our case, BSD UNIX). Would we be prohibited from doing so?
--Brett Glass ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as lists-ip () insecure org To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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