Calea can be complicated. not with
Nex-Tech
Navigate compliance and mitigate risk with a Trusted Third-Party Provider (TTP)
What is CALEA?
Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act
A federally mandated law enforced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It requires communications service providers to assist law enforcement agencies in executing lawfully authorized electronic surveillance. This includes live intercepts of voice and data packets from service providers.
Are you CALEA compliant?
Minimize spending. Maximize time.
Competitive and economical solutions – tailored to your network.
Get a turn-key CALEA
compliance program:
- Staffed with experienced analysts
- Backed by certified network engineers
- Customized for assistance or full management of lawful interception
Reduce costs without
the need for your own:
- Expensive hardware
- Mediation software
- Inline tap(s)
- Probes to capture warrants
- Staff trained as CALEA experts
Are you CALEA compliant?
Find out with a FREE CALEA Compliance Assessment.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
WE’VE GOT THE ANSWERS.
Explore what CALEA compliance
looks like with Nex-Tech as your TTP.
BE CALEA COMPLIANT
– WITH NEX-TECH AS YOUR GUIDE.
Contact our team of experts to get started.
877-621-2974
Doug Kuntz
Carrier Access Manager
785-754-3100
Austin Gagnon
Carrier Access Representative
785-735-6111
CALEA COMPLIANCE FAQS
Why do we have to do this?
- Federal law specifies that all telephone and data providers make available a means to execute surveillance on communications that flow through the provider’s network.
What is the minimum to be compliant?
- 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.
How do I become compliant?
- 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.
- Develop your own compliance solution for your network.
What happens if we do not incorporate a solution?
- 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.
What is a Trusted Third Party?
- 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.
How will I know I need to notify you for an intercept?
- You will receive a warrant from a law enforcement agency.
How will we notify you that we have received a warrant?
Nex-Tech maintains a 24×7 NOC that can be reached by calling 866-621-0662 or by emailing carriersales@nex-tech.com.
I received a DMCA notification request. Does this pertain to CALEA?
- 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.
Will our network ever be evaluated for compliance?
- 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.
Is there a CALEA certification?
- There is no evaluation or certification for CALEA compliance. The test rests in the provider’s ability to fulfill a warranted surveillance request.
What is Nex-Tech's role as a Trusted Third Party?
- 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.
How much of my risk or responsibility is placed on Nex-Tech as a Trusted Third Party?
- 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.
Is Nex-Tech certified as a Trusted Third Party?
- 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.
Who can issue an intercept?
- 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.
How do we validate those requests?
- 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.
Do I need to connect directly to the law enforcement agencies?
- 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.
Who will be contacted with warrants?
- As a carrier, you will be contacted. It is then your responsibility to contact Nex-Tech to implement the intercept.
How available does the designated person who deals with warrants need to be?
- 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.
How available will Nex-Tech be for receiving warrants? What if I get one in the middle of the night?
- Nex-Tech maintains a 24×7 NOC that can be reached by calling 866-621-0662 or by emailing carriersales@nex-tech.com.
FUNCTIONALITY FAQS
How does CALEA Reporting work?
- The entire process can be summarized in four stages: Engineering, Installation, Warrants, and the Capture and Transmission of data to the LEA.
How many taps do I need?
- 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.
How do you determine what equipment I need?
- 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.
How much bandwidth is this going to use?
- 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.
Are we going to have to perform maintenance or monitor the equipment?
- Nex-Tech will monitor the equipment; you will not have to allocate any labor to perform such tasks.
How is this going to impact my current network?
- The impact will be minimal. All your network is going to be responsible for is the direct transmission from the probe to our facility.
What security measures are in place to secure this process?
- 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.
How do I get the data back to the proper law enforcement agency?
- 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.
Do I need to isolate this device from the rest of my network?
- 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.
Am I going to have to open ports or modify access lists on my routers or in my firewall?
- 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.
Is this going to open my network to entities to which I have no control?
- 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.
GLOSSARY
CALEA
- Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act
CALEA Responsible Party
- 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.
LEA
- Law Enforcement Agency
LI Interface
- 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.
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.
Probe
- The device is used to instruct the Tap on what information to gather and to transmit the information to the Mediation Server.
Subpoena
- A written order requesting historical call information and/or IP address user identifying information.
Tap
- Hardware or Software device that performs the intercept of data traffic.
Tap Location
- The location within the network where data is collected. Network design will determine where this point must be.
TTP
- Entity authorized to interface with the LEA on behalf of the CALEA Responsible Party.
VPN Tunnel
- The secure connection through the Internet, between either the Mediation Server and the Probe or between the Mediation Server and the LEA.
Warrants
- The instrument utilized by LEAs and others to legitimately request the interception of specific information to or from an end user.
CALEA COSTS
How much does CALEA reporting cost?
- Nex-Tech has a complete set of competitive and economical solutions. To help us provide an accurate, competitive bid, we will first complete a short CALEA Compliance Assessment of your network. Our team will then tailor a bid to your specific network needs.
How am I going to get billed?
- You will be billed on a monthly basis.
What equipment am I buying?
- Typically, there is no equipment to purchase. Nex-Tech will tailor the most cost-effective solution to meet your specific requirements.
Who is your competition?
- 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.
How much would it cost if I did this myself?
- 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.
Am I going to have to pay more if the laws change?
- 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.
What if our network changes?
- 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.
Does the LEA reimburse carriers for their costs of CALEA compliance?
- 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.