alt Hacker NewsIndeed. Parallel construction is when law enforcement doesn't want to burn their source or their source is unlawful, so they find another way to justify a warrant or prosecution even tho their initial justification comes from a different source.
This has been upheld as lawful, but also can unfortunately be used to disguise unlawful behavior.
Reverse engineering is not related to parallel construction.
Parallel construction would be if LE unlawfully intercepted transmissions using this technique and discovered a crime, then found other unrelated evidence to begin an investigation of that crime.