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BlackBerry Helps Indian Gov't Spy On Users' Messages
hypnosec writes "The longstanding stalemate between the Government of India and BlackBerry (formerly RIM) is over after the government reportedly accepted the solution provided by BlackBerry regarding lawful interception of messages sent using BBM and internet emails sent using BlackBerry Internet Services (BIS). As a result of this, the government will now be able to monitor e-mails in real-time sent using BlackBerry services and messages on BlackBerry Messenger. According to Economic Times, which claims to have reviewed a copy of the internal Department of Telecom document, 'Baring a few minor points for improvement of viewers, the lawful interception system for BlackBerry Services is ready for use.' The initial demands of the government also included the ability to intercept and monitor emails and messages sent using BlackBerry Enterprise Server, but it seems that this demand have been shelved for now."
Probably every constitution in the world should be amended to guarantee people the right to private, secure communication. This is probably more important than the right to bear arms when defending people's rights against rogue governments.
@Valentinial
May well cover this point https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_8_of_the_European_Convention_on_Human_Rights & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Convention_on_Human_Rights#Article_8_-_privacy but YMMV.
Now? It's always been like that and in many parts of the world.
Take a look at the Guardian (US version);
http://www.guardiannews.com/
Then take a look at RT News:
http://rt.com/
Then take a look at CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/
Or even the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/
Notice a pattern? Apparently, the Zimmerman trial is all we Americans care about. The media is as complicit as Microsoft, et al. I start with the foreign news outlets, then head to CNN and other mainstream US media for comparison--what is missing from mainstream US media is the real news.
I fully expect "Cold Fjord" to be spewing his disinformation--with earnest--after the latest Prism revelations. If Microsoft is fucked, so is the NSA.
India currently does this on all mobile carriers. RIM/BlackBerry is a mobile carrier as well as a device manufacturer. RIM was the only carrier that resisted (that I am aware of) the monitoring of their network (BlackBerry Internet Services or BIS). The Indian government threatened to suspend their network altogether if they didn't capitulate. RIM agreed to discuss the matter further and have been in negotiations for the last 2 years. Since BB 10 doesn't even use BIS I suspect BlackBerry is just giving India what is is asking for. This does not in any way effect enterprise deployments using a BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) as the encryption keys are generated at the server and kept only by the enterprise.
Nothing to see here...move along.
"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K
This is like 4 years old. Blackberry within minutes of India shutting down RIM, and they capitulated to the Indian ministry of Information. One of the requirments was Indian Governement back door to all messaging... At the time we thought... Oh, look at the evil Indian overlord Govt... all the while our Govt sh#t bags were doing the same to us...
What a predictable clickbait title. I come by here every few weeks (less and less often, honestly - too much crap is just filtering through from populate media conglomerates) and am always able to find something on the front page that reminds me why I've taken to staying away.
But for old time's sake, I'll bite.
- RIM gave access to BIS communications when lawfully requested. This isn't new - they do it for every major government that submits legal requests. The fact that they'd do it for India was resolved months ago, in mid-2012 I think.
- RIM still has not and cannot give access to BES communications. THAT is what the battle with India is about - INdia said "you will give us ALL communications". RIM said "SOrry, we literally just can't do that.". India said "Do it or GTFO". RIM said "Sorry, we really just... can't". India realized this was true, and a big deal was made about the fact that theyr eceived BIS access (like any other government, for any service - not just RIM).
- It was face-saving, because they could not get what they actually insisted on getting - BES. Because the claim was that *BES* was used to planning subversive activities, not consumer BBM and email.
- they've given India no more than another other government. And they give the US government considerably less than any other government.
On that topic: you'll also notice that BlackBerry is NOT on the list of companies assisting NSA with Prism efforts. They do comply with lawful requests for specific data (as long as it's not BES, which they have no access to). But they do NOT hand over data in bulk, unlike all of their competition.
True, but it's a mistake to make this too much about RIM. Any for profit company in their situation would be very likely to do the same - or worse. At least they publicised the problem.
But that just points back to a basic fact. If we want secure communications we cannot rely on for-profit companies to provide that, at least not in the current environment. An alternative infrastructure is required - one that doesnt require trusting an organisation which isnt capable of resisting government pressure.
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