Abstract

Since Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) fifth generation (5G) wireless technology enables the potential for billions of connected network devices, a secure and scalable lawful intercept (LI) capability is needed across the mobile core. Although LI for third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) networks is a well-known concept, new challenges are posed with respect to the implementation of an LI capability in a 5G network, particularly when such a network employs a Control and User Plane Separation (CUPS) architecture. Also, in a 4G network and in a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) environment a user plane and a control plane are located within a data center making it easier to implement a LI capability. In a 5G network, the user plane is moving closer to a gNodeB (gNB) and hence implementing a LI capability will be challenging. To address these types of challenges, techniques are presented herein that support the use of a Holochain to provide a LI capability across multi-provider 5G deployments. Aspects of the presented techniques improve the security, scalability, and automation of a LI capability across the 5G core. Further aspects of the presented techniques help prevent the abuse of or the unlawful use of a LI (by, for example, individuals looking to make political, monetary, or business gains) through the use of Holochain validation rules whereby an abuse of power in a government agency or a service provider may be controlled and monitored (e.g., the tracking and monitoring of an interception may be completely audited to ensure that only properly authorized personnel are granted access to the data streams).

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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