BlackBerry gives in, to provide access to encrypted data

[trident2010]

BlackBerry gives in, to provide access to encrypted data

NEW DELHI: The BlackBerry mobile phone maker Research In Motion (RIM) has agreed to provide security agencies partial access to its messenger services by September one and would complete the project by the end of the year.

The move by the RIM comes barely five days after the government conveyed in no uncertain terms to RIM asking them to come up with a technical solution to the issue of interception of its services by August 31 or shut down its shop.

However, the Canada-based firm said some more discussions were required for giving access to BlackBerry Entreprise Services (BES), official sources said.

The sources said the RIM, which has a subscriber base of nearly one million in India, made this offer to the government in order to end the logjam by agreeing to blink on the issue of providing access to its special services.

Initially, the BlackBerry had agreed to provide manual details to law enforcement agencies and the same would be made available by the year-end, the sources said.

On BES, the smart-phone makers have conveyed to the government that certain technical discussions were required to be undertaken before finding a solution to this issue also.

Canadian smartphone maker had proposed certain ways to address India's security concerns over BlackBerry Enterprise Services (BES) and BlackBerry Messenger Services (BBM) for which it is seeking access in the country.

In a letter to Department of Telecom (DoT) Secretary P J Thomas, Home Secretary G K Pillai had asked him to convey to the operators and RIM that a technical solution to make available lawful interception of BES and BBM must be found by the deadline.

BlackBerry had attempted earlier to break the logjam over its services in India by offering "metadata" and relevant information to security agencies which would enable them to lawfully intercept communication on such phones but it failed to enthuse the authorities.

RIM representatives explained that BlackBerry mobile device sends encrypted emails, which is sent to BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) located with the service provider.

BES decrypts messages and sends it to the email server of the service provider where it remains stored in decrypted form. Then it is pushed to the BlackBerry device in encrypted form.



BlackBerry gives in, to provide access to encrypted data - India Business - Business - The Times of India

 

[Markus]

It had to happen.

RIM blinked much faster than what I expected.

 

[True_Pakistan_Zindabad]

RIM comes out on top.

 

[techno123]

coool,thats the way to go GoI,next Skype and Google

 

[Undivided Kashmir]

RIM comes out on top.

How does RIM come out on TOP ?? Kindly Explain.

RIM has taken a pragmatic decision and very good Business decision.
It had to clear the concerns of the security agencies.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

RIM made an exception for India... even after they said they would not make exceptions for any country?

This event clearly shows India's ever-increasing geopolitical muscle. No one wants to lose out on such a large consumer market.

Hopefully this is good news for the Asian region.

 

[gurjot]

RIM da sim nikal gaya

 

[Nahraf]

RIM already gives US full and complete access to its international traffic why should it refuse UAE, Saudi Arabia and India access to their respective national traffics.

 

[foxbat]

Jab NSG ne exception de diya, to RIM kya cheez hai

 

[desiman]

India is the world 3rd largest market for cell phones and RIM just cant afford to loose this so it gives up. This is India buying power and it will only continue to grow. Any company that has any plans to grow in the future, must please India and China or risk loosing out to competition.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

But what if someone posted message and hid it in a book in , common mail , million + plain white letters what will gov of India do then ? Open all letters

 

[AbuSalam]

But what if someone posted message and hid it in a book in , common mail , million + plain white letters what will gov of India do then ? Open all letters

dude....thr r softwares to do that....not physically examining each mail by people ,,,and those who can send millions of "white" emails in a minute will be blocked the ISP...

 

[third eye]

The Hindu : News / International : Putting Blackberry in isolation will be harmful for India: Canada


Putting Blackberry in isolation will be harmful for India: Canada

Canada today cautioned India that putting the Blacberry mobile phone device in isolation will be “counter productive” for New Delhi’s endeavours to secure modern technology.

“Blackberry is one of the most popular electronic appliances...900 companies depend upon it...it should not be treated in isolation with other devices otherwise it will be harmful for India and counter productive for steps taken for modern technology,” Canada’s Minister for Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney told reporters here.

He was responding to the query pertaining to the controversy surrounding the move to ban Blackberry unless the Canadian maker of the phone RIM gave access to all its services to Indian security agencies.

“I am proud of the success of the Canadian company...we are encouraging India not to choke down such a technology,” he said adding Blackberry should not be treated differently by any other rule pertaining to electronic devices in India.

He said he had taken up the issue with Home Minister P Chidambaram who had assured him of a “solution” to the controversy surrounding the Blackberry.

On the recent refusal of visa to certain police officers and BSF personnel by Canadian government on the ground of “violation” of human rights, he said the Canadian government had been reviewing the inadmissibility findings of law while handling such applications.

“The law on the inadmissibility findings on which visa was refused was being reviewed by the government,” he said adding however that Canada recognised India as a great democracy and respected the Indian Army and the work of security agencies here.

Kenney regretted any misunderstanding that might have created between the two countries in view of denial of visa to certain people belonging to the Indian security forces.

In an apparent reference to breakdown of marriages between Indian and Canadian nationals of Indian origin, he said Canadian government was taking seriously the issue of “marriage of convenience” and cases coming up due to it.

“We are strengthening laws to combat marriage of convenience,” he said adding Canadian government had started providing online consultations to partners to stop the menace of “marriage of convenience“.

The Canadian government had approved 80 per cent of total applications received in connection with spouses and had rejected the rest 20 per cent, he said.

Kenney said his government had received around 3500 applications last year from students seeking permanent residency in Canada. This number had gone upto 5000 this year till date, he added.

Asserting that it was a myth that a large number of applications seeking Canadian visa were rejected, the minister said that there had been considerable increase in approval rate for applications of visas.

“The number of temporary resident visas approved in 2009 was 36,000 whereas it was 93,000 in 2010 till date,” he said.

Noting that the number of visas issued by Canada had gone up significantly, Kenny said the Canadian High Commission and its consulates receive “every single day fraudulent and counterfeit documents” with visa applications.

“If any application is found to be carrying counterfeit or forged documents, the applicant is banned for two years,” he said.

He said people need to understand that they do not need the services of immigration agents for seeking visa.

He asked the Indian government to bring in additional law to crack down unscrupulous immigration agents.

The minister, who is on a three-day visit to the country, said he had taken up the issue with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his other cabinet colleagues.

“I have been assured by Indian government officials that it intends to bring amendments in Immigration Act by incorporating new offences in it,” he said.

He stressed the need to start an anti—fraud campaign to reduce fraudulent applications which as per him will increase the approval rate of applications.

He said relations between Canada and India had been cemented by development of civil nuclear ties between the two countries and nuclear energy needs of India.