Groups Slam FCC on Internet Phone Tap Rule

kamikaze-Tech writes "An Associated Press report posted in the Vonage VoIP Forums discusses the new CALEA regulations that will make it easier for law enforcement to tap Internet phone calls. The article claims that the new law will also make computer systems more vulnerable to hackers, according to some digital privacy and civil liberties groups. While the groups don't want the Internet to be a safe haven for terrorists and criminals, they complain that expanding wiretapping laws to cover Internet calls -- or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) -- will create additional points of attack and security holes that hackers can exploit. VoIP service providers such as Vonage, Skype and Packet 8 have eighteen months to comply with the new law."

Comments

Is Skype accountable to the FCC?

[Anonymous Coward]

Given that Skype's corporate entity isn't located in the States, it would seem that the FCC doesn't have any control over it.

Re:It's so much worse..

[MattWhitworth]

Agreed. If you've got something big to plan, you don't use an unsecured public medium (criminals and terrrorists have learnt that it's possible to track down your position from a mobile phone call. A Chechen leader was assasinated in this way, and it's how the Madrid bombers were traced).

How does the FCC think it will be able to tap an 128-bit RSA-encrypted private protocol? It can't, and the overwhelming majority of phone taps will be of law-abiding citizens. But that's the way the world works. Just look at DRM

In short, terrorists/criminals/enemies of the state aren't stupid.