20 November 2000
From: "q/depesche" <depesche@quintessenz.at>
To: quintessenz-list@quintessenz.at
Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2000 15:26:56 +0100
Subject: Carnivore auf japanisch
q/depesche 00.11.19/1
Carnivore auf japanisch
Für die japanische Version des FBI-Datenfressers Carnivore hat sich ein besonders hübscher Name gefunden: "Temporary Mailbox", wie Toshimaru Ogura von den Networkers against Surveillance Technologies schreibt.
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date sent: Sun, 19 Nov 2000 01:14:31
+0900
From: toshimaru
ogura
<ogr@nsknet.or.jp>
Subject: e-mail tapping in Japan
(revised)
To:
gilc-plan@gilc.org
Dear friends,
Following is revised version of my previous post about e-mail tapping in Japan.
best regards,
toshimaru
ogura
NaST
ogr@nsknet.or.jp
=============================
Toshimaru Ogura
NaST
ogr@nsknet.or.jp
Nov 13, 2000
On Nov 10, Japan's Diet member Mizuho Fukushima (a member of the House of Council, Social Democratic Party) placed a hearing on e-mail tapping operations by calling Japan's National Police Department (NPD) at Fukushima's office. In the hearing, NPD official explained that NPD will ask for the budget in next fiscal year (beginning on April 2001) for development of so-called ''Temporary Mail Box'' device which will be used to eavesdrop e-mail communications. NPD had never explained the details of this device until this time of hearing.
With NPD's explanation in the hearing, it seemed like this ''Temporary Mail Box'' device will have very similar function to Carnivore in the US or backdoor software by RIP in the UK.
Following is brief summary of the hearing.
---------------
During the hearing, NPD's explanation had some indication of that NPD's e-mail tapping is already underway by using ISP's mail spool area on POP server. Possible current procedure of the tapping operation assumed from NPD's explanation are :
(1) Law enforcement officer shows a court order to the ISP which is considered as the target suspect is using.(2) The ISP operates routing of mail reception in order to intercept e-mails for the target.
(3) Law enforcement gets e-mails to the target suspect at mail spool. This does not mean the mails are duplicated at the mail box or mail spool of the target suspect then forwarded to the law enforcement. Mails to the target suspect will be set two destinations for the target and the law enforcement. But NPD refused to explain details of the operation at the hearing.
(4) Most of above operation may be done by technical staff of the ISP.
NPD said that the current method has two problems:
- (A) Operation on ISP's servers creates disturbance for the ISP- (B) There are possible chances that the target suspect might find tapping operation.
According to NPD and its explanation, ''Temporary Mail Box'' has following characteristics and procedures:
(1) ''Temporary Mail Box'' is an electronic device for e-mail eavesdropping provided by NPD with all the programming and settings completed.(2) NPD lends the device to the ISP which is considered as the target suspect is using.
(3) The ISP connects the device to ISP's network physically.
(4) Law enforcement officer operates the device.
(5) The device filters out the mails of incoming (and outgoing) for the target suspect from all mail traffic of the ISP.
(6) Law enforcement takes back the device from the ISP after the end of tapping term by court order.
Total budget for the ''Temporary Mail Box'' for fiscal year 2001 is 140 million Yen (1.4 million dollars) and one device costs 8.75 million Yen. Tokyo Metropolitan Police plans to deploy 2 devices and other 15 district police headquarters will have one each. The budget includes the cost for development. After the approval of budget, NPD will have to make the information on ''Temporary Mail Box'' public and will propose basic architecture. However, for the present time, NPD said nothing more except above.
At the end of hearing, Fukushima requested NPD to disclose more details of the device such as source code of the software, devices for input and output and itemized details of 8.75 million Yen budget per device, as soon as they can.
Action related to ''Temporary Mail Box'' device and Japan's wiretapping law.
NaST and People's Coalition Against Wiretapping Law sent a letter to opposition party members who belong to Justice Committee of the Diet convincing to consider that the dangerous characteristics of the ''Temporary Mail Box'' and necessity to take more keen action in the Diet discussions.
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World-Information Forum
24 11 2000 Technisches Museum
Wien
http://world-information.org/html/site_index/index.htm
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