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Network Management and Administration 3-201

plays the key role. Communications intelligence is derived from communications that are intercepted
or derived by an agent other than the expected or intended recipient or which are not known by the
sender to be of significance if overheard or intercepted by the agent. Oral or written communications,
whether traditional or electronic, are the most common objects of surveillance for communications
intelligence, but it may broadly include letters, radio transmissions, e-mail, phone conversations, face-
to-face communications, semaphore, sign language, and others. In practice, the original data that form
a body of communications intelligence may or may not reach the intended recipient. Data may be inter-
cepted, may reach the recipient at a later date than intended, or may be intercepted, changed, and then
forwarded on. However, the definition of communications intelligence does not include the process of
relaying delayed or changed information, but rather focuses on intelligence that can be derived from the
detection, location, processing, decryption, translation, or interpretation of the information in a social,
economic, defense, or other context (Petersen 2003).
Information collection usually supports surveillance activities. Surveillance is the keeping of watch
over someone or something. Technological surveillance is the use of technological techniques or devices
to aid in detecting attributes, activities, people, trends, or events (Petersen 2003).
There are three typical types of surveillance that are relevant to lawful intercepts:
• Covert surveillance: Surveillance in which the surveillance is not intended to be known to the
surveillee. Covert wire traps, hidden cameras, cell phone intercepts, and unauthorized snooping
in drawers or correspondence are examples. Most covert surveillance is unlawful and requires
special permission, a warrant, or other authorization for its execution. Covert surveillance is
commonly used in law enforcement, espionage, and unlawful activities.
• Overt surveillance: Surveillance in which the surveillee has been informed of the nature and the
scope of the surveillance. This happens when the telecommunications service provider informs
subscribers about the surveillance.
• Clandestine surveillance: Surveillance in which the surveilling system or its functioning is in the
open, but is not obvious to the surveillee.

Finally, there are various categories of surveillance devices (Petersen 2003):
1. Acoustic surveillance (audio, infra and ultrasound, sonar)
2. Electromagnetic surveillance (radio, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-ray)
3. Biochemical surveillance (chemical, biological, biometrics)
4. Miscellaneous surveillance (magnetic, cryptologic, computer)
In the context of this book, a combination of surveillance devices in categories 1, 2, and 4 might be
used. The appropriate sections will clearly highlight the technologies and devices in use.

3.8.2 ISS Basics and Application Areas
ISS (Intelligence Support Systems) is not about security, but about intelligence. Security provides fire-
walls, antivirus protection, intrusion detection and prevention; in summary, security is about guarding
against loss. Intelligence in ISS is about gathering information about illegal activities and applying that
knowledge to increase security where applicable. ISSs are those software elements or units that interface
with or are part of billing, ordering, provisioning, and authentication systems as well as interface with
or are part of law enforcement systems (LES).
Unlike “point” solutions of intercepts and security that cover small portions of the networking infra-
structure, are costly to implement, and may slow down the network, an ISS has a low operational impact,
a low cost to operate, and is able to proactively provide intelligence on any size networks. ISSs are fea-
sible today based on the communications technologies and their support systems in use.
All ISS-based processes must ultimately provide comprehensive surveillance in a lawful manner.
This includes comprehensive information from any network (e.g., wireline, wireless, access, transport,