As we head into the Fall season, the rule of “Buyer Beware” applies in ISS the same as in any industry. Law enforcement agencies and others are already well into the budgeting process for 2017, including for items that cover surveillance, national security and compliance with lawful intercept rules. Here are six dubious practices to be on guard against: Selling on Price … [Read more...]
The Big Black Book of Electronic Surveillance 2016
Now available for members only -- The Big Black Book of Electronic Surveillance 4th Edition: 2016. Twice the size of the original volume published in July 2014 -- hence the title change from Little to Big Black Book -- the new 4th edition of our Buyer's Guide covers the top 150 ISS vendors across 10 categories: Trusted Third Party Providers of CALEA/ETSI-compliant … [Read more...]
Do Media Share Responsibility for Orlando Terrorist Attack?
In the months leading up to the Orlando terrorist attack, does anyone recall a positive news article or analysis on lawful intercept or any aspect of the surveillance industry? It’s doubtful. Not only after the Edward Snowden NSA revelations, but well before, national and tech trade press embraced a hostile attitude toward intelligence support systems (ISS). Among today’s media … [Read more...]
Does Dark Mail Really Pose a Threat to Surveillance?
C5IS examines Dark Mail, the long-awaited secure email system that may not be so hacker-proof as advertised. A former General Counsel for the National Security Agency once commented that if an agent could obtain sufficient metadata on a target, then “content” became almost irrelevant. Metadata alone would provide sufficient indication of the target’s whereabouts, identity … [Read more...]
Pine Digital Lawful Intercept — All About EVE
Pine Digital Security, acquired by Computest in November 2015, is one of Europe’s oldest and most discreet providers of lawful intercept solutions. Established in 1997 in Zoetermeer just south of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Pine Digital is a pioneer of passive lawful intercept via “probes,” a class of hardware often viewed as having advantages over the classic mediation device. … [Read more...]