BlackBerry patch designed to “enhance performance” turned out to be surveillance application

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2009/July/theuae_July465.xml§ion=theuae

BlackBerry Update, A Surveillance Application: RIM Patrick Michael

22 July 2009 DUBAI - Thirteen days after etisalat issued a patch that was designed to “enhance performance”, Research in Motion (RIM) said on Tuesday “etisalat appears to have distributed a telecommunications surveillance application” designed and developed by California-based company SS8.

The BlackBerry ‘snifferware’, which can intercept emails and drain battery life quickly, was pushed as an update to 145,000 BlackBerry users on the etisalat network. Over 300 of them immediately complained their smartphone had been rendered useless with the battery dying out on them in less than 60 minutes.

The etisalat update was sent to users on July 8 as a wide-area protocol (WAP) message. The Java file could intercept data and send a copy to a server without the user’s knowledge.

“Independent sources have concluded that it is possible that the installed software could then enable unauthorised access to private or confidential information stored on the user’s smartphone,” said an eight-page customer update from RIM, BlackBerry’s parent company.

“RIM confirms that this software is not a patch and it is not a RIM authorised upgrade. RIM did not develop this software application and RIM was not involved in any way in the testing, promotion or distribution of this software application,” it said.

etisalat has not commented on RIM’s statement.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

1. If this exists on one network, it can exist on ANY network.

Frankly, whenever we get automatics updates from just about anything, we have no idea what we are installing. Guess this is why they weren't keen on Pres O having a blackberry.

Back to carrier pigeons. Cheap, Confidential.

[dgibby]

2. Pogo was right! n/t

[leveymg]

3. Why would this be necessary? All the telcos and ISPs already have CALEA-compliant interception.

I would assume that includes the networks that carry Blackberry traffic.

There no reason the federal government needs to do this. The only signals that aren't already being automatically intercepted are private networks, and the NSA pays particularly close attention to them.

This may be an unauthorized hack.

On edit - the dateline for this article is Dubai. This may be one of several dozen intelligence agencies at work.

[snooper2]

4. A shitty UAE based telecom company...

and Etisalat has commented on RIM's statement-


Like we said, yikes. The zaniest part is that Etisalat isn't backing down, still assuring the world that the upgrades were "required for service enhancements." At any rate, RIM has made remarkably clear that the update wasn't one authorized by the company, and it's even providing an app remover for those who'd prefer their BlackBerry to be in working order and, you know, not forwarding all their email to some dude in an Etisalat supply closet. Good on you, RIM. Bad on you, Etisalat.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/21/etisalat-blackberry-update-was-indeed-spyware-rim-provides-a-so/