well, i would guess that the monitoring s/w etc. that was mentioned in the article, was part of the various gateway nodes that make up the entire 2g/3g/4g network. 3gpp has standardized on well defined interfaces for "lawful interception". most likely, if you are using any of the above wireless technologies, you may be subjected to them as well, and of course you would never know.
another point-of-view, would you also blame cisco aiding and suppressing dissident movement in china just because their equipment was/is the one being used to do so ? on the same lines, i think, the hand wielding the knife should be taken to task, rather than it's manufacturer...
> well, i would guess that the monitoring s/w etc. that was mentioned in the article, was part of the various gateway nodes that make up the entire 2g/3g/4g network. 3gpp has standardized on well defined interfaces for "lawful interception".
Did you even read the article? This Nokia-Siemens joint venture built was not specifically targeted at wireless.
You make it sound as if Iran and Egypt just bought a certain model of wireless routers or switches that Nokia-Siemens happened to offer on the international market.
No, the Nokia-Siemens joint venture was specifically created as a bid for the custom monitoring technology Iran needed. They probably re-used some of that knowledge when Egypt needed a similar system, later.
This is not just a question of Iran ordering some pieces of hardware equipment that the way they installed it just happened to help them find more "dissidents" to torture.
Nokia-Siemens designed, developed and built the infrastructure, it entails a littlebit more. They knew from the start exactly what this system they were building in Iran was going to be used for, they designed it and sent over their expertise to lay the f#ing cables and configure the routers and switches so that it did what Iran ordered it to do.
No, I wouldn't blame some corporation for selling hardware/equipment that happens to be used for tracking down people to torture.
Yes, I do blame a corporation when they bid to a specific order that really doesn't leave any doubt as to what the system is going to be directly used for, proceed to design it (again with the "requirements" crystal clear), develop, build and deploy it on the spot.
yes, I do blame cisco. They sold it to them with full knowledge of what it was going to be used for. It's not like they just ordered some routers off of Newegg. It's very likely Cisco personnel have been actively making sales and providing support for the Firewall operations. That is why you pay the cisco premium after all.
another point-of-view, would you also blame cisco aiding and suppressing dissident movement in china just because their equipment was/is the one being used to do so ? on the same lines, i think, the hand wielding the knife should be taken to task, rather than it's manufacturer...