Information Security and the Lawful Interception of Communications by Telecom Service Providers: Advanced Model System Architecture

Abstract

Communication interception for national security purposes, as well as for purposes of conducting a criminal investigation, is an invaluable asset of law enforcement agencies. In technical terms, this field has seen rapid advances in the last decade, while available software programs and platforms for lawful interception are now able to monitor a broad spectrum of communication channels. Lawful interception of communications invariably intersects with fundamental rights and freedoms of persons in the European Union and the Member States. The purpose of this paper, as part of the discussion on the framework of lawful interception, is to present a study of advanced lawful interception software with its functionalities and processes, compare it with the most common lawful interception models and to analyze the software architecture defined by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) as a general standard. While this particular model of LI architecture was originally designed to intercept voice communications, it can be successfully applied to intercept communications over IP channels. Finally, the paper offers a comparative insight into different kinds of LI software and their capabilities in line with communication interception regulation.