BlackBerry update in UAE reportedly surveillance software in disguise
by Donald Melanson 
posted Jul 14th 2009 at 4:59PM
There's not much in the way of official statements on this one just yet, but itp.net is reporting that a recently pushed out update for all BlackBerry users on the UAE-based carrier Etisalat is not a "performance enhancement patch" as advertised, but rather some spyware that could potentially give Etisalat the ability to keep an eye on its customers' messages. The first suspicions about the update apparently arose when users noticed dramatically reduced battery life and slower than usual performance from their phones, which led to a bit of detective work from programmer Nigel Gourlay, who pegged the software down as coming from electronic surveillance company SS8. While it's not switched on by default, the software can reportedly let Etisalat flip the switch on phones one by one and monitor their emails and text messages -- or it could if it hadn't completely bogged down the network. Apparently, the software wasn't designed for such a large scale deployment, which resulted in the slowdown and battery drain as some 100,000 BlackBerrys constantly tried and failed to sign in to the one registration server for the software.
[Via The Register]
[Via The Register]
Filed under: Handsets, Software, RIM, Misc, BlackBerry OS
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
WILLY HUFF @ Jul 14th 2009 5:34PM
FIRST YOU LOSERS HAHA I WIN
estrouse @ Jul 14th 2009 5:48PM
^^^ the firsts always crack me up
anyway, seriously, this is messed up! talk about a major security breech for any business person using a BB who sends important info using those message clients. i hope other providers aren't jumping on that bandwagon...
Ant @ Jul 14th 2009 6:18PM
do really think some if not most of the carriers out there dont already have the ability to take peek a peoples text messages?
John @ Jul 14th 2009 9:26PM
SMS is not supposed to be secure, and yes in fact most carriers already do keep track of SMS on their end. The purpose of this spyware was likely to gain access to the emails sent/received on BBs, since that all goes through the BIS/BES and is encrypted over the air, and thus the carriers have no idea what is being sent in them.
Peter F @ Jul 14th 2009 9:46PM
I'm with Ant on this. Why install spyware? It'd be like Microsoft sending out a virus to look at my hotmail.
BLee @ Jul 15th 2009 1:17AM
If you havent heard.. blackberries have the ability to send and receive emails and BBmsgs.. many regarding corporate issues and some regarding confidential issues.. I'm pretty sure SMS isnt what they're after..
teknikkle @ Jul 15th 2009 2:05AM
That guy who made the security program with a few spy features over at xda is working on anti spyware software.. Everyone thought it would be a good idea if you used an unofficial rom that isnt from a verified source, but i guess it would be a good idea to scan stock roms too