Comments on: Feds: VoIP a potential haven for terrorists

The Justice Department wants to impose wiretapping requirements on Internet phone calls. But Congress isn't so sure.

[smkatz]

unneccessary

Most VoIP technologies travel over analog phone lines at some point (like Vonage). They should be completely wiretappable without regulation.

Computer telephone calls (voice to voice) are generally unencrypted and sent over open networks (otherwise known as the Internet)--these are also wiretappable, to the extent technically possible--no regulation could increase this extent.

I would be concerned about Skype, but that you can't wiretap at all--because of the "peer-to-peer" encrypted communication mechanism.

Nevertheless, you still could know the time a packet was sent intiating a call in Skype (assuming calls are encrypted only after they are begun), when a login occurred, and who was on that person's buddy list. But any search would be so broad as to be unreasonable.

In addition, once Skype expands to cordless telephones--again, you are transmitting them over analog lines.

So let's wait and see..

--Sam

[unknown unknown]

Why should I have to pay more...

for a VoIP phone just so people in rural America (who probably make more than I do) can have discount analog service. I already shell out the $35.00 a month for cable internet access plus the cost of a subscription to cable t.v service (which is required to get cable internet access). Then their is the month charge for VoIP service on top of that. I am getting kind of sick of these wealth redistribution plans, especially since I am not wealthy. I don't think I should be punished just because I live in an area where broadband is avaliable.


I don't think requiring ISPs to rewire for easy wiretapping is going to solve anything. If terrorists and other criminals want to communicate over the internet there are more secure ways of doing it.

Bad G'ment

A complete lie on the G'ments part, right along with the whole patroit acts "lets create more laws to duplicate the existing laws so it looks like out fat congressional ***** collectivly give a royal crap" mentality.
Now for the kicker. Didnt anyone tell you. A freshman computer science major could write a server client application the would encrypt and protect any kind of internet communication. Hell, didnt anyone ever tell you a smart HS freshman cold do it. And what, we are supposed to beleive that ragmops are too stupid to code?!?

[Jonathan]

In Other News Tin Cans and String Could be Used by Terrorists

The FBI has reported to the associated press that terrorists may be using tin cans and string to communicate their plans.
"Security on sales of these products MUST become more secure if we are to assure America's freedom" "We can no longer afford to allow string to fall into the hands of a terrorist. The risks are just too great" said Tom Ridge at a major press conference this afternoon.

In other news Pepsi and Coke in cooperation with The Department of Homeland Insecurity has initiated a program to replace all AL cans with paper cups.
CNN correspondent Sideshow Bob had this to say on the action "Can't paper cups transmit sound almost as well as metal?"
Soon after Pepsi rescinded its previous program with news that people will now simply have to cup their hands to carry their pop. Its just the right thing to do said a Pepsi representative.

Right on!~

Perfect analogy.

Terrorists are probably already using VOIP and many other methods of communication. I read someplace that even 5 years ago, Al Quaida's favorite method of communication was to create a website and embed information in the pages so that a fellow terrorist could basically "read the coding" in the page at some remote location. That is so far and above what VOIP does that VOIP isn't even in the same league in terms of covert communications.

Lay off VOIP. Concentrate on all the other ways of cummunicating among terrorists. Tapping into VOIP based on the terrorist threat is such BS -- this is really a backdoor move by the Bell companies to get VOIP regulated so that they can partake.