Systems and methods for performing electronic surveillance

• US 7,383,582 B1
• Filed: 08/02/2002
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Federal Network Systems LLC (Jacobs Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Francis, Robert Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh; Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Besrour; Saoussen
• Application Number:
  US10/211,922
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 713/160, 726/20, 726/9
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/026 using flow identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1425 Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/30 for supporting lawful interception, monitoring or retaining of communications or communication related information circuit switched telephony call monitoring H04M3/2281

Abstract

A system performs an electronic surveillance in a packet-switched network. The system includes a first card (300), a second card (400), and an electronic surveillance device (120). The first card (300) stores first data identifying a first operational mode and second data identifying a time period. The second card (400) stores activation information. The electronic surveillance device (120) reads the first card (300) and conditions itself for operating in the first operational mode for the specified time period. The electronic surveillance device (120) also reads the second card (400) and performs a packet capture operation in accordance with the first operational mode for the specified time period in response to reading the second card (400).

Claims

1. A method for performing an electronic surveillance with proper judicial oversight, comprising:

conditioning a packet capture device to include recording data corresponding to operation of the packet capture device to ensure that the surveillance was conducted properly;

conducting the electronic surveillance using the packet capture device to produce a record;

encrypting the record using a first key from a first smart card issued to a law enforcement agent;

creating a system event log, during production of the record, that identifies a current mode of operation and time period;

digitally signing the encrypted record using a second key from the first smart card to bind the law enforcement agent with the mode of operation and the time period of the surveillance to ensure the proper judicial oversight;

hashing the digitally-signed record using a third key from a second smart card;

encrypting the system event log using a fourth key from the second smart card; and

digitally signing the system event log using a fifth key from the second smart card and a sixth key from the first smart card.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the conditioning includes:

configuring the packet capture device to operate in one of a plurality of modes, and

setting a duration of the electronic surveillance.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the packet capture device is configured using the second smart card.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the second smart card is issued by a warrant authority.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

issuing the first smart card to the law enforcement agent prior to the configuring.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the conducting is initiated using the first smart card.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the conditioning includes:

configuring the packet capture device to operate in one of a pen mode and a full content mode.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing occurs in response to the time period expiring.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing at least one of encrypting, digitally signing, and hashing of the record creates a resulting record, and

wherein the method further comprises:

storing the resulting record on a computer-readable medium.

10. An electronic surveillance device comprising:

logic configured to condition the electronic surveillance device for a particular mode of operation and duration and to record data corresponding to operation of the device, the data indicating if the surveillance was conducted properly;

logic configured to record packets in a network based on the configured mode of operation to create a surveillance record;

logic configured to determine whether the duration has been exceeded;

logic configured to encrypt the surveillance record using a first key from a first smart card when the duration has been exceeded, the first smart card issued to a law enforcement agent;

logic configured to digitally sign the encrypted surveillance record using a second key from the first smart card to bind the law enforcement agent with the mode of the operation and the duration to ensure proper judicial oversight;

logic configured to hash the digitally-signed surveillance record using a third key from a second smart card;

logic configured to create a system event log, during the packet recording, that identifies a current mode of operation and time period;

logic configured to encrypt the system event log using a fourth key from the second smart card; and

logic configured to digitally sign the system event log using a fifth key from the second smart card and a sixth key from the first smart card.

11. The electronic surveillance device of claim 10 further comprising:

logic configured to read the second smart card which includes data for defining the mode of operation and the duration,

wherein the logic for conditioning the electronic surveillance device configures the electronic surveillance device using the data from the second smart card.

12. The electronic surveillance device of claim 11 wherein the second smart card is associated with a judicial authority.

13. The electronic surveillance device of claim 10 wherein the mode of operation includes one of a pen mode and a full content mode.

14. The electronic surveillance device of claim 10 wherein the second smart card is associated with a judicial authority.

15. The electronic surveillance device of claim 10 further comprising:

logic configured to read the first smart card which includes data for providing the law enforcement agent access to the electronic surveillance device.

16. A system for conducting an electronic surveillance with proper judicial oversight, comprising:

means for configuring a packet capture device to operate in a first mode or a second mode;

means for configuring the packet capture device to operate for a predetermined duration;

means for conducting the electronic surveillance during the predetermined duration using the packet capture device to produce a surveillance record and to record data corresponding to operation of the packet capture device to ensure that the surveillance was conducted properly;

means for encrypting the surveillance record using a first key from a first smart card issued to a law enforcement agent;

means for digitally signing the encrypted surveillance record using a second key from the first smart card to bind the law enforcement agent with mode and time of the surveillance to ensure the proper judicial oversight;

means for hashing the digitally-signed surveillance record using a third key from a second smart card;

means for configuring the packet capture device to create a system event log, during the predetermined duration, that identifies mode of operation and time period;

means for configuring the packet capture device to encrypt the system event log using a fourth key from the second smart card; and

means for configuring the packet capture device to digitally sign the system event log using a fifth key from the second smart card and a sixth key from the first smart card.

17. A method for performing an electronic surveillance, comprising;

issuing to a law enforcement agent from a warrant authority both a warrant-related smart card and a law enforcement agent smart card to impose proper judicial oversight on the surveillance;

using the warrant-related smart card to condition a packet capture device to include recording data corresponding to operation of the packet capture device to ensure that the surveillance was conducted properly;

using the law enforcement agent smart card to initiate conducting the electronic surveillance by the packet capture device to produce a surveillance record;

configuring the packet capture device to create a system event log during production of the surveillance record that identifies mode and time of the surveillance;

digitally signing and hashing the surveillance record to bind the law enforcement agent conducting the surveillance with the mode and time of the surveillance to allow the proper judicial oversight;

computing a message digest to (1) validate integrity of the surveillance record where the record has not been corrupted or altered and (2) ensure that the device was not altered to execute unlawful or unauthorized functions;

configuring the packet capture device to encrypt the system event log using a key from the warrant-related smart card; and

configuring the packet capture device to digitally sign the system event log using another key from the warrant-related smart card and a different key from the law enforcement agent smart card.