Black room
Encyclopedia
While a black room or black chamber is often now used to refer to any place or organisation dedicated to code-breaking, its more exact meaning is a secret room in a post office
, and, later and by extension, a telecommunications center used by state officials to conduct clandestine interception and surveillance
of communications. Typically all letters or communications would pass through the black room before being passed to the recipient.
This practice had been in vogue since the establishment of posts, and was frequently used in France by the ministers of Louis XIII and his followers as cabinet noir
(French for "black room").
In modern American Network Operations Center
s, optical splitters divert a percentage of the laser light from all incoming and outgoing fiber-optic cables to the secret room. An example is Room 641A
in the SBC Communications building in San Francisco. Activities in a black room do not fall under the concept of lawful interception
, as all data is intercepted and no court order
will be obtained for its interception as it is at least arguably an extralegal procedure.
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, and, later and by extension, a telecommunications center used by state officials to conduct clandestine interception and surveillance
Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
of communications. Typically all letters or communications would pass through the black room before being passed to the recipient.
This practice had been in vogue since the establishment of posts, and was frequently used in France by the ministers of Louis XIII and his followers as cabinet noir
Cabinet noir
Cabinet noir was the name given in France to the office where the letters of suspected persons were opened and read by public officials before being forwarded to their destination...
(French for "black room").
In modern American Network Operations Center
Network Operations Center
A network operations center is one or more locations from which control is exercised over a computer, television broadcast, or telecommunications network....
s, optical splitters divert a percentage of the laser light from all incoming and outgoing fiber-optic cables to the secret room. An example is Room 641A
Room 641A
Room 641A is an intercept facility operated by AT&T for the U.S. National Security Agency, beginning in 2003. Room 641A is located in the SBC Communications building at 611 Folsom Street, San Francisco, three floors of which were occupied by AT&T before SBC purchased AT&T...
in the SBC Communications building in San Francisco. Activities in a black room do not fall under the concept of lawful interception
Lawful interception
Lawful interception is obtaining communications network data pursuant to lawful authority for the purpose of analysis or evidence. Such data generally consist of signalling or network management information or, in fewer instances, the content of the communications...
, as all data is intercepted and no court order
Court order
A court order is an official proclamation by a judge that defines the legal relationships between the parties to a hearing, a trial, an appeal or other court proceedings. Such ruling requires or authorizes the carrying out of certain steps by one or more parties to a case...
will be obtained for its interception as it is at least arguably an extralegal procedure.