Digital Telephony Threat Returns

[jim@Tadpole.COM (Jim Thompson)]

Digital Telephony Threat Returns

According to FBI Dir. Louis Freeh, the development of sophisticated
digital telecom and networking technology threatens the ability of the
Feds to wiretap.  In a Dec. 8 speech at Washington's National Press
Club, Freeh annouced a renewal of the FBI's 'Digital Telephony'
legislation scheme:  the return of the controverial 'Wiretap Bill'.
The bill is strongly opposed by organizations and individuals concerned
about privacy, as well as the telecommunications and computing
industries at large.  The FBI's 'need' for this legislative action is
under review by the Administration as part of its examination of
security and encryption issues.

The reappearance of this Bureau effort contradicts statements by
Special Agent Barry Smith of the FBI's Congressional Affairs Office,
who stated less than a month ago that the 'Wiretap Bill' had been
tabled.

According to classified documents released under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA), the FBI and the Electronic Communications
Service Provider Committee or ECSPC (an ad hoc industry working group,
which formed in March), are attempting to decide if technical solutions
can be found to satisify law enforcement. According to a Nynex
representative co-chairing the group, Kenneth Raymond, no solution has
yet been found, but that FBI has yet to prove any solution is needed at
all.  Raymond likened Freeh's tactics to "yelling out the window" - an
attention-getting move that needs some sort of clarifying followup.

Though the ECSPC claims to be attempting to evaluate the problem and to
solve it "in some reasonable way that is consistent with cost and
demand", Raymond indicated that the group considers one 'solution' to
be building wiretap access into future telecom hardware - like the
Clipper chip backdoor, but a 'feature' of all switch specifications for
phone and data lines.

This news was just received, and a more detailed analysis and statement
from EFF will follow soon.