SS8 Networks is the recognized independent leader in lawful intercept and a worldwide provider of regulatory compliant, electronic surveillance solutions. For nearly fifteen years we have been building networks, futures, cases [for the prosecution] and relationships. Our comprehensive product portfolio covers all three functions of the de facto lawful intercept (LI) architecture: access, mediation and collection. We have deployed proven lawful intercept solutions on all continents, in the networks of the largest wireline, wireless and cable carriers, while also creating non-traditional solutions that include satellite voice carriers, satellite ISPs and WIFI hotspots. Our installations can intercept over 500 million subscribers, and serve over 10,000 law enforcement agents.

SS8 Networks has attained this envied position in lawful intercept for many reasons, including

An integral part of SS8 Networks’ strategy to provide comprehensive LI solutions is our partnership with Pen-Link® Ltd.  Pen-Link has been offering industry-leading collection and analysis platforms for nearly 20 years and has now joined SS8 Networks to offer a complete, end-to-end LI solution.

Comprehensive company focus on lawful intercept

Demand for lawful intercept solutions is generated by a number of key industry stakeholders: Government regulators; National, federal and state law enforcement agencies (LEAs); Communications service providers. SS8 Networks possesses a deep understanding of the unique challenges facing each of these stakeholders, and is recognized across the industry for delivering regulatory compliant surveillance solutions while advancing industry awareness of emerging standards and issues.

As an independent supplier, with no government or law enforcement agency funding, SS8 supplies standalone solutions that integrate with the broadest range of access network elements. These solutions are available directly from SS8, through OEM channels, or embedded in trusted third party services. Network interoperability is ensured through our Accler8 Partner Alliance and experience with myriad complex architectures.

An integral part of SS8 Networks’ strategy to provide comprehensive LI solutions is our partnership with Pen-Link® Ltd. Pen-Link has been offering industry-leading collection and analysis platforms for nearly 20 years and has now joined SS8 Networks to offer a complete, end-to-end LI solution. Together, the companies are focused on delivering solutions that support criminal prosecution. While surveillance can sometimes focus purely on evidence collection, SS8’s expertise in communications forensics ensures that intercepted traffic is securely identified, stored, transferred and analyzed, maintaining an appropriate chain of custody for criminal prosecution.

Direct experience implementing and supporting intercept equipment

SS8 Networks’ customers include carriers (wireless, wireline, broadband, cable and VoIP operators), law enforcement agencies, systems integrators and original equipment manufacturers. Our professional services team has assisted these customers in understanding network design, determining compliance obligations, constructing solutions, managing implementations and providing 24/7 support on a global basis.

Our Xcipio™ mediation function sits at the heart of these lawful intercept networks, accepting warrant content, provisioning access elements, receiving intercept related information and forwarding to law enforcement. In this role, we are intimately familiar with the many proprietary and standard interfaces that exist for lawful intercept. We also understand that installations often include unique requirements, and have established a reputation for tailoring custom solutions, and developing product functionality to suit. In a world as demanding and diverse as lawful intercept, this inside understanding is essential for customers seeking a partner that fully grasps the nuances of national legislation, local regulation, law enforcement case construction and service provider concerns.

Proven, standards-based, cost-effective and scalable solutions

Xcipio is built on SS8 Networks’ carrier-grade signaling platform; a development environment that has also been deployed in hundreds of carrier networks worldwide. Xcipio has won a broad and loyal customer base by

At the heart of the Xcipio solution, SS8’s nucLIus™ control logic provides the intelligence for rapid integration into heterogeneous network environments. This engine simplifies the development of access element interfaces, manages the translation of warrant details into target interceptions and supports a worldwide range of handover interfaces to law enforcement. These include standards specified by ETSI, TIA, ANSI and PacketCable. nucLIus is equally capable of provisioning thousands of network elements, and forwarding intercepted information to multiple law enforcement agencies simultaneously.

For situations where access elements do not offer active intercept capabilities, SS8’s AXS-2500 passive probe is purpose built to intercept targeted communications streams within a high speed broadband traffic flow. Built to demanding specifications, AXS-2500 is a uniquely scalable solution that can process traffic from 10Mbps to 10Gbps in either server-based or common chassis designs, each with the flexibility to filter at the ATM, Ethernet and IP layers. While simple broadband implementations might target solely on IP address, protocol ID or port number, the AXS-2500’s processing capabilities are easily scaled to accommodate deeper traffic inspection and filtering at the user handle, application (FTP, IRC, webmail) or even string search level.

For evidence storage and analysis, our Lincoln2™ collection server interfaces directly to the Xcipio mediation function, or telco trunk lines. The Pen-Link8™ analytic workstation talks directly to the Lincoln server, providing an extremely powerful, yet intuitively operated analysis tool for law enforcement. While individual Lincolns scale linearly to monitor more than 1000 targets, these collection servers may also be networked to provide replication of intercepted data to remote facilities. In addition, Lincoln systems deployed by a law enforcement agency can be used as access points for other agents without previously established network connectivity.

Likewise, Pen-Link8 installations also scale. Operators can use a single workstation to analyze data for multiple targets, or conversely, in complex investigations, multiple Pen-Link stations can be used to simultaneously analyze a single case. Ready integration with GIS mapping information, telephone company subscriber records or cell-tower location databases, enables Pen-Link8 to provide a complete overview of criminal activity, movement and interaction.

SS8 Networks continues to drive down the cost of lawful intercept. With discussions still circling on who pays for intercept technology, SS8 is taking a proactive approach to minimizing the cost of compliance. Our solutions utilize commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components, such as Unix servers, while our software license approach alleviates the fear of expensive equipment upgrades. An intuitive provisioning GUI reduces operating costs, and our relationship with trusted third party operators provides our customers with an additional option of paying for LI compliance as part of a monthly service.

Pioneering technology that paces communication services

SS8 Networks has pioneered a series of firsts in lawful intercept technology. As a recognized thought leader we have consistently anticipated the needs of LI stakeholders and paced the industry with solutions that meet, or are ahead of, evolving legislation and interface standards. Examples include:

In 2007, SS8 is continuing this tradition of innovation. Through the years, the science of surveillance has morphed through three generations: From physical wire-tapping, through digital switching to wireless voice and data. But as communication services continue to evolve, a new generation of lawful intercept is required. Solutions now need to accommodate applications generated outside the central office switch, to intercept users that might have a network identity assigned in real-time and to meet the complex signaling requirements of IMS architectures. SS8 continues to lead the market with innovative approaches to this 4th generation of lawful intercept — assuring our customers that their investments will remain relevant for years to come.

The Architects of Intercepts

Today’s electronic surveillance requirements place rigorous yet different demands on carriers and law enforcement agencies. Carriers need to be able to quickly and efficiently identify a target in their network, isolate that target’s traffic and get it to law enforcement in a standard, reliable, and legally compliant manner. In turn, law enforcement needs to perform detailed analysis of this information in order to build the story of the target’s activities and interactions. Above all, governments need to feel confident that interception capabilities are ahead of the criminal mind. These diverse but intertwined needs are ideally met with an Xcipio-based solution from SS8 Networks.

SS8 Networks has grown a team with unequalled core competence, a heritage that is undeniable and a solution set that is unparalleled. As the safe choice for carriers, LEAs and governments the world over, SS8 will leave you confident that obligations for national security, criminal prosecution and traffic interception can be fulfilled.

SS8 Networks brings our customers nearly 15 years of experience in the design, development, deployment and support of lawful intercept solutions, and stands as a worldwide force that has combined the best available technologies for traffic interception, mediation and collection. Solutions are available for the smallest carrier with a handful of subscribers, through to large national operators. Time and again, we have built diverse network solutions, innovative capabilities, successful legal cases and trusted business relationships. As we continue this trend, and build for the future, we will enhance your intercept capabilities, speed your compliance, and reinforce our position as the true Architects of Intercepts.