No encryption in federal wiretaps in 2003
Arnold G. Reinhold
reinhold at world.std.com
Sun May 23 08:24:09 EDT 2004
The 2003 wiretap report from the US Court system's Administrative
Office is out:
http://uscourts.gov/wiretap03/contents.html This annual report is
mandated by Congress and since 2002 has been required to include
information on encryption. It states:
"In 2003, no instances were reported of encryption's being
encountered on federal wiretaps. One state jurisdiction reported that
encryption was encountered in a wiretap terminated in 2003; however,
the encryption was reported to have not prevented law enforcement
officials from obtaining the plain text of communications
intercepted. "
According to the 2002 report :
"Encryption was reported to have been encountered in 16 wiretaps
terminated in 2002 and in 18 wiretaps terminated in calendar year
2001 or earlier but reported for the first time in 2002; however, in
none of these cases was encryption reported to have prevented law
enforcement officials from obtaining the plain text of communications
intercepted. "
The 2003 report goes on to state that:
"After decreasing 9 percent in 2002, the number of wiretaps reported
increased 6 percent in 2003. A total of 1,442 applications were
authorized in 2003, including 578 submitted to federal judges and 864
to state judges. Judges approved all applications. Compared to the
number approved during 2002, the number of applications approved by
federal judges in 2003 increased 16 percent, and the number of
applications approved by state judges remained stable (up 0.3
percent)."
"... 77 percent of all applications for intercepts (1,104 wiretaps)
authorized in 2003 cited drug offenses as the most serious offense
under investigation."
Arnold Reinhold
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The Cryptography Mailing List
Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe cryptography" to majordomo at metzdowd.com
More information about the cryptography
mailing list