[ISN] E-Mail Snooping Ruled Permissible

InfoSec News isn at c4i.org
Thu Jul 8 06:52:28 EDT 2004

Forwarded from: Cory D <coryd at euler.com>

You seem to be missing the point.

By their ruling they state that because the MDA (procmail) was storing
the message for process, this is what justified as electronic storage,
thus they did not intercept any wire communication between the points
of communication, therefore they did not violate the wiretap law.  
What bothers me is that the MDA is still in process of delivering the
message to the recipient, sense the delivery is not complete, the
message should still be consider in transit.  By this definition the
wiretap act was violated, because; the message did not reach its
intended recipient for the e-mail was still in-transit.

As for the government this ruling opens a hole up for them, they can
use their "Carnivore" program to gather messages before it goes to a
MDA the "electronic storage" argument has no merit and thus no warrant
is need per Title 18, Sec. 2703(a).

Title 18, Sec. 2703(a) is also typical for places storing the
messages, sense the argument could be stated that the message are
temporary no warrant is needed because the burden of electronic
storage again is not met.

My rant is done for now, but hopefully I widen some eyes, for the
complexity of this issues should not be complex, but simple, when
electronic communication is stated at one point and directed towards
another it should be consider still in transit until delivered to the

Cory Durand

-----Original Message-----
From: isn-bounces at attrition.org [mailto:isn-bounces at attrition.org]On Behalf
Of Denning, Dorothy USA
Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 6:48 PM
To: isn at c4i.org; isn at attrition.org
Subject: RE: [ISN] E-Mail Snooping Ruled Permissible

The ruling doesn't give the government blanket access because they are
still constrained by the statutes that protect stored wire and
electronic communications.

To compel disclosure of unretrieved communications that have been in
storage 180 days or less, the government needs a search warrant [Title
18, Sec. 2703(a)].  However, a non-public provider (e.g., private
company) can voluntarily disclose such e-mail {Sec 2702(a)(1)]; a
public provider generally cannot, but there are exceptions [(Sec

Dorothy Denning

-----Original Message-----
Behalf Of Cory D
Sent: Friday, July 02, 2004 9:33 AM
To: isn at attrition.org

-- You seem to be mis-inform on common wiretap laws.
-- As for your sigh of relief, it bothers me.  When reading the case, the
individual(s) rights were violated.

---     The Wiretap Act "Provider Exception" 18 U.S.C ? 2511(2)(a)(i)
switchboard, or on officer, employee, or agent of a provider of wire or
electronic communication service, whose facilities are used in the
or use that communication in the normal course of his employment while
public shall not utilize service observing or random monitoring except for
mechanical or service quality control checks...

Sense he used the information for profit and gain; it seems to me that it
did violate the wiretap law.  As you can also see this informs you can use
IDS equipment to protect yourself from unwanted trespassers.

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