What's the best way to wiretap a network?

Tue Jan 20 21:19:13 UTC 2004

In message <400D9745.76839304 at greendragon.com>, William Allen Simpson writes:
>
>Eriks Rugelis wrote:
>> 
>> On the other hand, if your environment consists of a large number (100's) of
>> potential tapping points, then you will quickly determine that in-line taps
>> have very poor scaling properties.
>>         a) They are not rack-dense
>>         b) They require external power warts
>>         c) They are not cheap (in the range of US$500 each)
>>         d) Often when you have that many potential tapping points, you are
>> likely to be processing a larger number of warrants in a year.  An in-line
>> tap arrangement will require a body to physically install the recording
>> equipment and cables to the trace-ports on the tap.  You may also need to
>> make room for more than one set of recording gear at each site.
>> 
>This is a feature, not a bug.  Law enforcement is required to pay -- 
>up front -- all costs of tapping.  No pay, no play.  

Right, at least in the U.S.  See section 4(e) of 
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/2518.html

		--Steve Bellovin, http://www.research.att.com/~smb