CALEA can be complicated. Not with Nex-Tech

• Minimum compliance means being able to execute ANY valid warrant for surveillance on ANY user on your network in a timely manner. Carriers must be able to provide both content of communication and communication-identifying information along with a correlation of those elements.

• There are three compliance options:
  • Develop your own compliance solution for your network.
    • Can be complex and dependent on certain skill sets within your organization that may not always be available.
  • Purchase a compliance solution from a vendor
    • Purchasing a compliance hardware solution can be expensive and needs to be replaced as your network grows.
  • Purchase a compliance solution form a Trusted Third Party (TTP)
    • TP will help you decide the best method for compliance.
    • Port mirroring to Probe or Equipment may have LI capabilities built in.

• You will be subject to fines of up to $10,000 a day (until you come into compliance) from the Courts. You are also subject to fines from the FCC as they have the enforcement responsibility for the CALEA mandate.

• A Trusted Third Party (TTP) is an entity a carrier has allowed to implement their CALEA compliance program. The TTP can provision, implement, and maintain resources for the carrier. A TTP is recognized by the government as an entity that can act on behalf of the carrier to implement CALEA compliance while maintaining a certain level of indemnification.

• You will receive a warrant from a law enforcement agency.

Nex-Tech maintains a 24×7 NOC that can be reached by calling 866-621-0662 or by emailing carriersales@nex-tech.com.

• CALEA is not the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). DMCA governs the illegal use of copyrighted materials, and potentially holds Communications Service Providers (CSP) liable when subscribers use material unlawfully. When those infringements occur, DMCA agencies send notices directly to CSPs, who are then responsible for passing those infringements along to the offending subscriber. CSPs can easily manage DMCA notices by themselves.

• There is no evaluation or certification for CALEA compliance. Lack of ability to fulfill the request demonstrates a lack of compliance. Likewise, the provider’s ability to fulfill a warranted surveillance request demonstrates CALEA compliance. However, Nex-Tech prefers to conduct CALEA Customer reviews every year or two to discuss changes in the carrier’s network and to identify any obstacles that may complicate the Intercept process.

• There is no evaluation or certification for CALEA compliance. The test rests in the provider’s ability to fulfill a warranted surveillance request.

• Nex-Tech will provide the warrant validation, access, delivery, and collection functions required for your CALEA compliance. The burden of capturing the intercept and delivering the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency will rest on Nex-Tech’s lawful intercept platform. The burden of complying with the warrant still rests with your company.

• Nex-Tech will be a partner in the provisioning of the customer’s CALEA compliance. Nex-Tech will endeavor to put forth the resources necessary to work with the customer to complete the required intercept requests.

• The relationship of Trusted Third Party is one that is established between the carrier and Nex-Tech. By identifying Nex-Tech as a Trusted Third Party, your business gives Nex-Tech that status which will allow Nex-Tech to operate in your name for certain aspects of your CALEA process. There is no authority certifying any company as a certified Trusted Third Party. The title exists as the relationship is solidified between the carrier and Nex-Tech.

• A warrant may originate from entities that include local and state law enforcement agencies, local and state prosecutors, the US Justice Department, and other federal agencies. A valid warrant will have a judge’s signature.

• Validating a warrant means being able to ascertain the signature is that of a judge in good standing. Nex-Tech has attorneys to validate the warrants.

• Nex-Tech is responsible for collecting the data from the intercept and transmitting it to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. As our customer, you do not have to provide any means for law enforcement agencies to connect to your network.

• As a carrier, you will be contacted. It is then your responsibility to contact Nex-Tech to implement the intercept.

• According to the law, a carrier can be served a warrant at any time. While it is extremely rare for a warrant to come in after business hours, it is possible. Carriers need to plan for that.

• Nex-Tech maintains a 24×7 NOC that can be reached by calling 866-621-0662 or by emailing carriersales@nex-tech.com.

• The number of taps required will be determined after Nex-Tech has done a network assessment. Nex-Tech will seek out aggregation points in the customer’s network that can be used to collect the needed information. Every network is different, and Nex-Tech is going to be diligent in finding the solution that will effectively meet the customer’s CALEA needs.

• Because every network is unique, Nex-Tech and the customer will analyze data to understand how the information flows through your network and develop a plan specific to your needs.

• It varies. Keep in mind that law enforcement agencies wish to capture a complete copy of the target’s data or voice transmissions. For voice intercepts, the process is likely to consume less than 100 Kbps. Data stream intercepts will vary. For example, the slowest link in your network will impact the amount of bandwidth consumed by the surveillance process; however, we anticipate the bandwidth required to be minimal.

• Nex-Tech will monitor the equipment; you will not have to allocate any labor to perform such tasks.

• The impact will be minimal. All your network is going to be responsible for is the direct transmission from the probe to our facility.

• The security of your network is not going to be compromised by the equipment in place. For the purpose of data transmission from the probe to Nex-Tech, we will establish a secure IP VPN tunnel.

• The probe will ‘listen’ for traffic that matches the warrant. Only information specified in the warrant will be replicated and sent back to our facility. There, a dedicated mediation server will package the information collected, and in turn, send it to the law enforcement agency who issued the warrant. No further action is required by you during this process.

• The taps placed on your network pose no threat to security or the integrity of your network. There is no reason to isolate it through firewalls or any other means. It is meant to function inside your network to trap just that traffic which matches the configuration of the probe.

• If communication is going to take place through a firewall, we recommend implementing a list that will identify and allow access by certain specific traffic. Nex-Tech will provide you with the IP addresses that will need access and the TCP/UDP ports that need to be open.

• The probe and tap are designed with one purpose, collection of data returned to Nex-Tech for dissemination to law enforcement agencies. There is no added exposure for your network. Through a VPN tunnel, the probe will communicate directly with Nex-Tech’s intercept platform.

• Entity who ‘owns’ the end user IP Address, who is subject to the intercept request Intercept – The process of collecting data from target IP address for the LEA.

• Law Enforcement Agency

• Software capabilities within a device that will see all data on a given segment and can capture that data and send it to a Mediation Server.

• Converts the intercepted traffic into the format required by the LEA and sends a copy of the intercepted traffic to the LEA without the target’s knowledge.

• The device is used to instruct the Tap on what information to gather and to transmit the information to the Mediation Server.

• A written order requesting historical call information and/or IP address user identifying information.

• Hardware or Software device that performs the intercept of data traffic.

• The location within the network where data is collected. Network design will determine where this point must be.

• Entity authorized to interface with the LEA on behalf of the CALEA Responsible Party.

• The secure connection through the Internet, between either the Mediation Server and the Probe or between the Mediation Server and the LEA.

• The instrument utilized by LEAs and others to legitimately request the interception of specific information to or from an end user.

• You will be billed on a monthly basis.

• Typically, there is no equipment to purchase. Nex-Tech will tailor the most cost-effective solution to meet your specific requirements.

• We are not the only company in the CALEA marketplace; however, we offer personalized service and a cost-competitive solution to meet your CALEA mandate. Some of our competitors include Subsentio and Yaana.

• Undertaking CALEA compliance on your own can be a very expensive and burdensome task involving capital investment in hardware, mediation software, inline tap(s), and a probe to capture each warrant you receive, not to mention the CALEA-expert workforce needed to administer this system. Nex-Tech offers an end- to-end solution that provides the collection and delivery of intercepted data on your network.

• We cannot predict changes in the law. However, we are committed to providing quality solutions for your CALEA needs which include keeping you notified of changes or mandates in the months and years ahead. We will be proactive in minimizing future costs as CALEA requirements change, which may require re-evaluation of your network, replacing or upgrading hardware, and other related services.

• Regardless of network changes, Nex-Tech is committed to assisting you with solutions for ongoing efficient and cost-effective implementation of the CALEA mandate. We are dedicated to a long-term partnership with our customers and request customer reviews every 18-24 months to reevaluate your network ensuring we can deliver an intercept request in the most efficient manner.

• It is often stated within the warrant “Service Provider shall be provided compensation by the lead investigative agency for reasonable expenses incurred in providing technical assistance” in complying with the order.