Electronic Communication Interception Technologies and Issues of Power

2The Central Issue of Encryption

Based on the catalogs of companies marketing interception “solutions”, it is now allegedly possible to intercept pretty much anything. However, in order to prevent this, ensure the confidentiality of communications and guarantee their inviolability, encryption has become widespread.

Naturally, this barrier is exposed to attacks. The efforts to circumvent it or weaken it are multiplying, especially because cryptography is not infallible.

2.1. The capabilities required for interceptions

Intercepting communications does not require the same resources, and depends on whether it is a question of targeting a spouse’s cell phone communications, following a suspect in an anonymous crowd, intercepting the communications of a moving individual, investigating a wider or narrower network of suspects on national territory or, on the contrary, internationally. Resources will also differ depending on whether communications are by wire or wireless, traveling by undersea or terrestrial cables, by satellite, civil or military communications, established in times of peace or war, for the purpose of investigating crime or spying on foreign territories or actors, and of course, whether the communications are encrypted or not, and whether the interceptor has the means to read them in clear text.

Therefore, the range of intercept categories is ample. The technical means to be implemented are just as important. Here, two types of capabilities are differentiated: ...