The FBI has drafted legislation that will legalize internet surveillance and require manufacturers of routers to build in backdoors for eavesdropping. The legislation is to be introduced by Republican Senator Mike DeWine.

The legislation, which entends the existing CALEA (Computer Assistance Law Enforcement) requirements, will allow the US government to further increase surveillence on US citizens and foreign nationals. It will also eliminate the Justice Department's current legal requirement to annually disclose the number of "communications interceptions" to the public.

In addition to legalizing and concealing US government internet surveillance, the legislation, if made law, will nullify lawsuits against the state for their currently illegal practices.

The legislation will also likely impact the international sale of hardware for export, as foreign countries are not likely to want to purchase routers with built-in backdoors. Manufacturers, in fact, are already including the backdoors in current models.

CALEA enabled devices have already been used by foreign nationals to tap the phones of Americans.

Source: Free Software Magazine