Method for activation of at least one further eavesdropping measure in at least one communication network

• US 9,131,044 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks GmbH & Co. KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks GmbH & Co. KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Spalt, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Keehn, Richard G
• Application Number:
  US11/992,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20100094987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,302 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

In a packet-switching and/or cell-switching communication network which comprises a plurality of switching nodes and in which the individual switching nodes in the communication network are each allocated a unique identification, eavesdropping measures are provided in order to eavesdrop on at least one data link that has been formed between two communication subscribers, in which case one of the two communication subscribers is identified by means of at least one eavesdropping measure as a communication subscriber to be eavesdropped on. The switching nodes which are intended for activation of eavesdropping measures are each allocated at least one activation database which has the identifications of the switching nodes which are enabled for activation of further eavesdropping measures. In this case, a further eavesdropping measure is activated in the switching node to be eavesdropped on only if the identification of the switching node to be eavesdropped on matches at least one identification which is contained in the activation database.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

activating at least one further eavesdropping measure in at least one switching node in a packet-switched and/or cell-switched communication network, comprising a plurality of switching nodes, for the purpose of eavesdropping on at least one data link which exists between two communication subscribers, the individual switching nodes in the communication network having respective associated unique identifiers, and in which at least one of the two communication subscribers is identified as the communication subscriber for eavesdropping by at least one eavesdropping measure, wherein the activating comprises;

respectively assigning the switching nodes, provided for activating the at least one further eavesdropping measure that is in addition to the at least one eavesdropping measure, at least one activation database which has the identifiers of the switching nodes enabled for activating further eavesdropping measures; and

activating the further eavesdropping measure in the switching node only if there is a match between the identifier of the switching node for eavesdropping and at least one identifier contained in the activation database.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

activating the further eavesdropping measures either in a switching node in the form of a communication handler switching node or in a switching node in the form of a content handler switching node.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

providing activation databases both in the communication handler switching node and in the content handler switching node.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

activating the eavesdropping measures by identifying the communication subscribers as communication subscribers for eavesdropping by means of stipulated identity identifiers, for example MSISTN, IMSI, IMEI, SIP URI, Tel URI, IP, and/or cell addresses and E.164.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

activating the further eavesdropping measure by producing in the associated communication handler switching node at least one activation information item and transmitting the at least one activation information item to the content handler switching node for eavesdropping.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the activation information is transmitted in an encrypted form.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

controlling a setup, maintenance and cleardown of a communication link via a signaling link which is managed by the communication handler switching nodes.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

comparing the identifier of the content handler switching node via which the data link for eavesdropping is routed with the identifiers contained in the associated activation database; and

if there is a match between the identifier of the content handler switching node for eavesdropping and at least one identifier contained in the activation database, activating the further eavesdropping measure.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

forwarding a copy of the data link routed via the switching node for eavesdropping to the appropriate consumer or authority unit tasked with implementing and evaluating eavesdropping measures.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

if there is no match between the identifier of the switching node for eavesdropping and at least one identifier contained in the activation database, forwarding an information item about failure of the activation of the eavesdropping measure to the appropriate consumer or authority unit tasked with implementing and evaluating eavesdropping measures.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the identifiers stored in the activation database on a country-specific basis.

12. The method as claimed in one of claim 1, further comprising:

implementing the activation databases as continually updated activation lists.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

activating the eavesdropping measure for the existing data link or else for a prescribed period.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data link is used to transmit audio, video or other multimedia data and also short messages.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are different activation databases for different eavesdropping measures.

16. An apparatus comprising:

an initiator configured to initiate a first eavesdropping measure;

a selector configured to select a switching node to implement a further eavesdropping measure that is in addition to the first eavesdropping measure;

a comparator configured to compare the identifier of the selected switching node with identifiers contained in an associated activation database; and

an activator configured to activate the further eavesdropping measure if there is a match between the identifier of the selected switching node and at least one of the identifiers contained in the associated activation database.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit an activation information item to the switching node in order to activate the further eavesdropping measure.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the activation information item comprises information identifying a data link to be monitored.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the data link is configured to transmit audio, video, or other multimedia data and short messages.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the activation information is transmitted in an encrypted form.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the identifiers contained in the activation database are selected on a country-specific basis.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the activation databases are implemented as continually updated activation lists.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the eavesdropping measure is configured to be activated for the existing data link or for a prescribed period.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein there are different activation databases for different eavesdropping measures.

25. A method comprising:

initiating a first eavesdropping measure;

selecting a switching node to implement a further eavesdropping measure that is in addition to the first eavesdropping measure;

comparing the identifier of the selected switching node with identifiers contained in an associated activation database; and

activating the further eavesdropping measure if there is a match between the identifier of the selected switching node and at least one of the identifiers contained in the associated activation database.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising transmitting an activation information item to the switching node in order to activate the further eavesdropping measure.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the activation information item comprises information identifying a data link to be monitored.

28. An apparatus comprising:

initiating means for initiating a first eavesdropping measure;

selecting means for selecting a switching node to implement a further eavesdropping measure that is in addition to the first eavesdropping measure;

comparing means for comparing the identifier of the selected switching node with identifiers contained in an associated activation database; and

activating means for activating the further eavesdropping measure if there is a match between the identifier of the selected switching node and at least one of the identifiers contained in the associated activation database.