Demystifying LI

January 9, 2007

“Put up a wire”, get a “pen”, do a tap, perform a Title III or Trap and Trace, big brother, eavesdropping, Lawful Intercept, electronic surveillance, CALEA; all terms used to describe what is commonly known as wiretapping. Wiretapping is a useful and important tool for law enforcement allowing them (the good guys) to listen to and monitor what the targets (the bad guys) are doing. And while conceptually everyone understands what wiretapping is, many questions and concerns surround this activity. Questions on the subject include how much it costs to implement, who needs to “comply”, how does one become compliant, what standards are in use, what are the deadlines and does the government pay for it. While concerns usually focus on due process, invasion of privacy, checks and balances and what legal footing (legislation) supports all of the above.

Now I may not be able to answer every question regarding answer “D” (all of the above) but given the business I’m in, the job I do, the experience I have and the people I interact with, I think I can do justice to the topic of Lawful Intercept. My name is Scott Coleman and I am the Director of Marketing for SS8 Networks a provider of Lawful Intercept solutions. SS8 has been in this business for 12+ years and I’ve personally been working in this environment for 7+ years both as a Product Manager and as a Marketeer. I have over 18 years experience in telecommunications, have published articles on the subject, have spoken numerous times about it and have worked with law enforcement agencies and service providers around the world.

But enough with the resume, this blog has been initiated to provide the reader with frank, honest and open answers/opinions to the many aspects of this subject. In a word, we are “Demystifying” lawful intercept.