Feds having problem with VoIP

My good friend David S. Bennahum has a lovely little article in Slate about why the Feds are having problems listening in to phone calls using VoIP — and specifically those on the skype and Vonage networks.

There are a wacko factoids in this. First is the argument that 256-bit encryption is more secure than 128-bit encryption. (It’s probably not, because you wouldn’t crack either of them by doing a brute-force key search.) The second is the disingenuous Vonage claim that they can’t fork off a copy of the conversation for the feds because that would be a digital copy, and the law doesn’t allow them to make a copy of a phone call being wiretapped (somehow ignoring the fact that an analog copy is still a copy — certainly the RIAA feels that way). But overall, it’s a fun article and a quick read.

Highly recommended.