Lawful Authorities Warrant Management

• US 20110202980A1
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Imbimbo, Amedeo, Carnevale, Giuseppe
• Application Number:
  US13/122,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20110202980A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/302 gathering intelligence information for situation awareness or reconnaissance

Abstract

A method is proposed for managing requests from Law Enforcement Agencies for interception or retention of data relating to a target user. The method detects a request of interception or retention on the target user and verifies whether an electronic warrant is activated with respect to the user.

Claims

1. A method for managing requests from Law Enforcement Agencies for interception or retention of data relating to a target user, comprising the steps of:

detecting a request of interception or retention on the target user;

verifying whether an electronic warrant is activated with regard to said user.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

granting said request in case an electronic warrant is activated on the target user.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

denying said request in case an electronic warrant is not activated on the target user.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

issuing a notification to a supervisor in case an electronic warrant is not activated on the target user;

provisionally granting said request.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of:

checking whether an electronic warrant has been entered in respect of the target user after said notification;

granting said request in case an electronic warrant has been entered in respect of the target user;

denying said request in case an electronic warrant has not been entered in respect of the target user.

6. The method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of:

detecting additional identification information related to said target user;

allowing retention or interception of data connected to said additional identification information.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of:

detecting additional identification information directly or indirectly related to said target user;

allowing retention or interception of data connected to said additional identification information.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said additional identification information is at least one of:

an identifier of a called party, including phone numbers and email address;

an identifier of a third party, including phone numbers and email address.

9. An electronic warrant for Lawful Interception in a telecommunications system.

10. The electronic warrant of claim 9, comprising authorisation information defining a scope of retention or interception requests of data relating to a target user.

11. The electronic warrant of claim 10, characterised in that said authorisation data comprises one or more of:

authorisation to intercept a target user;

authorisation to extend interception to other known identities;

authorisation to provisionally extend interception to other unknown identities;

authorisation to access retained data of a target user;

authorisation to extend access to retained data to other known identities;

authorisation to provisionally extend access to retained data to other unknown identities;

time intervals for interception of access to retained data.

12. The electronic warrant of claim 11, characterised in that the warrant is coded in a standard format.

13. The electronic warrant of claim 12, characterised in that said standard format is in one of the formats selected among XML, BER and CSV.

14. A node in a telecommunications system provided with a function comprising means for:

receiving electronic warrants allowing interception or retention of data relating to a target user;

filtering requests for interception or retention of data relating to a target user according to authorisation information contained in said electronic warrants.

15. The node of claim 14, characterised in that said function is an Administration Function.