Countries ban Blackberries in order to fight TERRORISM

[Khajit]

Indonesia joins countries mulling BlackBerry ban to fight terror

Published 4 August 2010

Indonesia considers joining a growing list of countries, including India, Saudi Arabia and the UAE in banning BlackBerry devices; Research in Motion is receiving increasing pressure to allow government access to data generated by the hand-held devices

Last week, we wrote about India considering a ban on BlackBerry devices over terrorist concerns.

Now Indonesia is joining Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in possibly imposing a ban on the popular hand-held communication devices unless they can gain greater access to the data generated by them. Bahrain, among others, has also expressed a desire to better control BlackBerry’s news dissemination services.

The Associated Press’ Niniek Karmini writes that Indonesia said Wednesday it is considering following the lead of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in banning BlackBerry services, adding to pressure on service provider Research in Motion Ltd.

Gatot Dewabroto, spokesman for the Ministry of Communication and Information, wants RIM to set up a server locally so encrypted information sent by the phones will not have to be routed through the Canadian company’s overseas computers.

“We don’t know whether data being sent through BlackBerrys can be intercepted or read by third parties outside the country,” he said, expressing concern that information could be used by criminals or spies.

Just hours before, Saudi Arabia said its telecom regulator had ordered mobile operators across the kingdom to halt BlackBerry services as of Friday. The United Arab Emirates will also shut down e-mail, messaging and Web browsing on BlackBerrys starting in October.

India is in talks with RIM over how information is managed on the devices. The Times of India reported on 29 July of this year that the India wanted a server set in India as a monitoring unit, as China is reported to have negotiated with RIM.

Analysts say RIM’s expansion into fast-growing emerging markets is threatening to set off a wave of regulatory challenges, as the device maker’s commitment to keep corporate e-mails secure rubs up against the desires of local law enforcement.

RIM has said discussions with the more than 175 countries where it operates are private. It does offer help to governments, but says its technology does not allow it, or any third party, to read encrypted e-mails sent by corporate BlackBerry users. (The consumer version has a lower level of security.) The e-mails are, however, unencrypted on the servers of corporate clients, and can be obtained from the companies.

Satchit Gayakwad, an RIM spokesman in India, denied there were plans to give the government greater control over surveillance of its corporate clients.

“We won’t compromise on the security architecture of our corporate e-mails,” he said. “We respect the requirements of regulatory bodies in terms of security, but we also look at the customer’s need for privacy.”

Dewabroto said Indonesia, one of the largest providers of Blackberry services in Southeast Asia with more than 1 million users, is still just mulling a ban. But it wouldn’t be the first time it has taken on the device maker: Service was blocked in 2008 until RIM agreed to set up sales service centers for users inside the country.

An unnamed Saudi security official has reportedly confirmed that “This service might be used to serve terrorism,” the official said.

BlackBerry phones are known to be popular both among business people and youth in the kingdom who see the phones’ relatively secure communication features as a way to avoid attention from the authorities. Terrorists may well see it the same way.

http://homelandsecuritynewswire.com/...n-fight-terror

Two Gulf states to ban some Blackberry functions
BlackBerry Bold 9000 The UAE denies censorship is involved

Two Gulf states have announced bans on some functions of the Blackberry mobile phone, claiming security concerns.

The United Arab Emirates is to block sending e-mails, accessing the internet, and delivering instant messages to other Blackberry handsets.

Saudi Arabia is to prevent the use of the Blackberry-to-Blackberry instant messaging service.

Both nations are unhappy that they are unable to monitor such communications via the handsets.

This is because the Blackberry handsets automatically send the encrypted data to computer servers outside the two countries.
Related stories

* Blackberrys pose 'security risk'
* UAE Blackberry update was spyware

The UAE ban is to start in October, while the Saudi move will begin later this month.

Abdulrahman Mazi, a board member of state-controlled Saudi Telecom, has admitted that the decision is intended to put pressure on Blackberry's Canadian owner, Research in Motion (RIM), to release data from users' communications "when needed".

The UAE's telecoms regulator, TRA, said the lack of compliance with local laws raised "judicial, social and national security concerns".
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Gulf expert Jim Crane on the "spat" between Blackberry and the UAE

RIM said in a statement that it "does not disclose confidential regulatory discussions that take place with any government".

"However, RIM assures its customers that it is committed to continue delivering highly secure and innovative products that satisfy the needs of both customers and governments."

There are an estimated 500,000 Blackberry users in the UAE, and 400,000 in Saudi Arabia.

Censorship denial

TRA said some Blackberry services would be suspended from 11 October "until a solution compatible with local laws is reached".

"It's a final decision but we are continuing discussions with them," said TRA director general Mohammed al-Ghanem.
Analysis
"Censorship has got nothing to do with this. What we are talking about is suspension due to the lack of compliance with UAE telecommunications regulations."

It follows an alleged attempt by TRA last year to install spyware on Blackberry handsets.

And in 2007 RIM refused TRA access to the code for RIM's encrypted networks so it could monitor email and other data.

Power play?

Media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders told the BBC last week that while the UAE was playing a "technological leadership role in the Arab world", this was backed by "repressive laws" and a "general trend of intensified surveillance".

BBC Middle East business reporter Ben Thompson said the threat by the UAE was likely to be an attempt to wring concessions out of RIM.

"Many here see this as little more than a power play from the UAE authorities - an attempt to force RIM to handover the security codes or face losing a lucrative market," he said.

India has also raised security concerns over Blackberry data services, saying they could be exploited by militants.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-10830485



That's what they get for using bluetooth in a warzone?

[Mayareira]

This'll hopefully boost iPhone sales.

[JigglyJam]

Saw that you posted, thought to myself "Something something iPhone", and sure enough...

I wonder what they're really after from the blackberry users. Trying to see which CEO is violating some backwards law?

[Meresgi]

So the terrorists won in these countries.

[Correction]

I thought satellite phones were the preferred communication device of terrorists these days? At least, that's what al quaeda/the taliban uses...

[BerenTebogo]

Iphones are the next freedom fries.

[Yuri-G]

I honestly thought this was about the fruit for a second (even though I've already read this article on another site) and was terribly confused, trying to come up with scenarios wherein the profits from blackberry farms were being funneled to Al-Qaida somehow.

[Acturus]

Why's they gotta be called BLACKberries?

-or-

What if we start calling them Freedomberries?

[Seanr]

This'll hopefully boost iPhone sales.

They were also going to ban the iPhone but Apple had already ensured that the iPhone doesn't make phone calls so they left it out of this legislation.

[sruon]

They were also going to ban the iPhone but Apple had already ensured that the iPhone doesn't make phone calls so they left it out of this legislation.

10/10

[Takedown3]

oh man i love when apple lovers get their just desserts

[BerenTebogo]

oh man i love when apple lovers get their just desserts

http://homeinsteadsonoma.com/wp-cont...apple_pie2.jpg
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