IP Traffic Redirection for Purposes of Lawful Intercept

• US 20110314177A1
• Filed: 06/18/2010
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harp, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,756,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/54 Organization of routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/306 intercepting packet switched data communications, e.g. Web, Internet or IMS communications

Abstract

Technologies for redirecting traffic associated with a target entity for purposes of lawful intercept are presented herein. According to one aspect, a request to monitor data packets associated with a target entity for purposes of lawful intercept is received. Once the request is received, the target entity is added to a lawful intercept list and assigned a lawful intercept IP address from a range of lawful intercept IP addresses. Each lawful intercept IP address may have a corresponding routing policy for routing data packets associated with the corresponding lawful intercept IP address to a lawful intercept capture system. The data packet is then routed to the lawful intercept capture system based on the routing policy of the lawful intercept IP address. The lawful intercept capture system captures the data packet and forwards the data packet to a next hop network entity associated with the data packet.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for redirecting traffic associated with a target entity for a purpose of lawful intercept, the method comprising:

receiving a request to monitor data packets associated with a target entity for the purpose of lawful intercept;

adding the target entity to a lawful intercept list, the lawful intercept list including one or more target entities;

receiving, from the target entity, a request to communicate;

upon receiving the request to communicate, determining whether the target entity is on the lawful intercept list;

upon determining that the target entity is on the lawful intercept list, assigning the target entity a lawful intercept Internet Protocol (IP) address from a range of lawful intercept IP addresses, each lawful intercept IP address having a corresponding routing policy for routing data packets associated with the corresponding lawful intercept IP address to a lawful intercept capture system;

receiving a data packet;

identifying an origination IP address or destination IP address associated with the data packet;

determining whether the origination IP address or the destination IP address is in the range of lawful intercept IP addresses; and

upon determining that the origination IP address or the destination IP address is in the range of lawful intercept IP addresses, redirecting the data packet to the lawful intercept capture system based on the routing policy of the lawful intercept IP address.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising upon determining that the origination IP address or the destination IP address is not in the range of lawful intercept IP addresses, routing the data packet to a next hop network entity based on a default routing policy of the destination IP address.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to stop monitoring the data packets associated with the target entity for the purpose of lawful intercept; and

upon receiving a request to stop monitoring the data packets associated with the target entity for the purpose of lawful intercept, removing the target entity from the lawful intercept list.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising upon determining that the target entity is not on the lawful intercept list, assigning the target entity a default IP address from a range of default IP addresses, each default IP address corresponding to a default routing policy for routing data packets associated with the default IP address to a next hop network entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the lawful intercept capture system includes a plurality of lawful intercept capture devices;

and the method further comprising;

selecting a lawful intercept capture device from the plurality of lawful intercept capture devices to which to send the data packet; and

redirecting the data packet to the selected lawful intercept capture device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein selecting a lawful intercept capture device from the plurality of lawful intercept capture devices to which to send the data packet comprises:

receiving utilization information of at least one lawful intercept capture device of the lawful intercept capture system, the utilization information indicating at least one of a current and forecasted utilization of the corresponding lawful intercept capture device; and

selecting the at least one lawful intercept capture device for redirecting the data packet based on the utilization information of the corresponding lawful intercept capture device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing remote access to a user to manually add the target entity to the lawful intercept list.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein redirecting the data packet to the lawful intercept capture system based on the routing policy of the lawful intercept IP address comprises performing a look-up operation of the lawful intercept IP address in a routing table;

and

upon performing a look-up operation of the lawful intercept IP address in a routing table, sending the data packet to the lawful intercept capture system based on the routing policy associated with the lawful intercept IP address.

9. A system for redirecting traffic associated with a target entity for purposes of lawful intercept, comprising:

a memory for storing a firmware configured to redirect traffic associated with a target entity for purposes of lawful intercept; and

a processor functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the firmware and configured to

receive a request to monitor data packets associated with a target entity for the purpose of lawful intercept,

add the target entity to a lawful intercept list, the lawful intercept list including one or more target entities,

receiving, from the target entity, a request to communicate,

upon receiving the request to communicate, determine whether the target entity with which the data packet is associated is on the lawful intercept list,

upon determining that the target entity with which the data packet is associated is on the lawful intercept list, assign the target entity a lawful intercept IP address from a range of lawful intercept IP addresses, each lawful intercept IP address having a corresponding routing policy for routing data packets associated with the corresponding lawful intercept IP address to a lawful intercept capture entity,

receive a data packet,

identify an origination IP address or destination IP address associated with the data packet;

determine whether the origination IP address or the destination IP address is in the range of lawful intercept IP addresses; and

upon determining that the origination IP address or the destination IP address is in the range of lawful intercept IP addresses, redirect the data packet to the lawful intercept capture entity based on the routing policy of the lawful intercept IP address.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the firmware is further configured to upon determining that the origination IP address or the destination IP address is not in the range of lawful intercept IP addresses, route the data packet to a next hop network entity based on a default routing policy of the destination IP address.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the firmware is further configured to:

receive a request to stop monitoring the data packets associated with the target entity for the purpose of lawful intercept; and

upon receiving a request to stop monitoring the data packets associated with the target entity for the purpose of lawful intercept, removing the target entity from the lawful intercept list.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the firmware is further configured to assign the target entity a default IP address from a range of default IP addresses, each default IP address corresponding to a default routing policy for routing data packets associated with the corresponding default IP address to a next hop network entity.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the lawful intercept capture entity includes a plurality of lawful intercept capture devices;

and the method further comprising;

selecting a lawful intercept capture device from the plurality of lawful intercept capture devices to which to send the data packet; and

redirecting the data packet to the selected lawful intercept capture device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein selecting a lawful intercept capture device from the plurality of lawful intercept capture devices to which to send the data packet comprises:

receiving utilization information of at least one lawful intercept capture device of the lawful intercept capture entity, the utilization information indicating at least one of a current and forecasted utilization of the corresponding lawful intercept capture device; and

selecting the at least one lawful intercept capture device for redirecting the data packet based on the utilization information of the corresponding lawful intercept capture device.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein redirecting the data packet to the lawful intercept capture entity based on the routing policy of the lawful intercept IP address comprises performing a look-up operation of the lawful intercept IP address in a routing table;

and

upon performing a look-up operation of the lawful intercept IP address in a routing table, sending the data packet to the lawful intercept capture entity based on the routing policy associated with the lawful intercept IP address.

16. A computer-readable medium, having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by a computer, causes the computer to:

receive a request to monitor data packets associated with a target entity for the purpose of lawful intercept;

add the target entity to a lawful intercept list, the lawful intercept list including one or more target entities;

receiving, from the target entity, a request to communicate;

upon receiving the request to communicate, determine whether the target entity with which the data packet is associated is on the lawful intercept list;

upon determining that the target entity with which the data packet is associated is on the lawful intercept list, assign the target entity a lawful intercept IP address from a range of lawful intercept IP addresses, each lawful intercept IP address having a corresponding routing policy for routing data packets associated with the corresponding lawful intercept IP address to a lawful intercept capture system;

receive a data packet;

identify an origination IP address or destination IP address associated with the data packet;

determine whether the origination IP address or the destination IP address is in the range of lawful intercept IP addresses; and

upon determining that the origination IP address or the destination IP address is in the range of lawful intercept IP addresses, redirect the data packet to the lawful intercept capture system based on the routing policy of the lawful intercept IP address.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, having further computer-executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by the computer, causes the computer to upon determining that the origination IP address or the destination IP address is not in the range of lawful intercept IP addresses, route the data packet to a next hop network entity based on a default routing policy of the destination IP address.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, having further computer-executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by the computer, causes the computer to:

receive a request to stop monitoring the data packets associated with the target entity for the purpose of lawful intercept; and

upon receiving a request to stop monitoring the data packets associated with the target entity for the purpose of lawful intercept, removing the target entity from the lawful intercept list.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, having further computer-executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by the computer, causes the computer to assign the target entity a default IP address from a range of default IP addresses, each default IP address corresponding to a default routing policy for routing data packets associated with the corresponding default IP address to a next hop network entity.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein redirecting the data packet to the lawful intercept capture system based on the routing policy of the lawful intercept IP address comprises performing a look-up operation of the lawful intercept IP address in a routing table;

and

upon performing a look-up operation of the lawful intercept IP address in a routing table, sending the data packet to the lawful intercept capture system based on the routing policy associated with the lawful intercept IP address.