BlackBerry Security Concerns

BlackBerry is a line of mobile e-mail and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion (RIM) since 1996. Subscribers who purchased one wanted constant access to e-mail, a calendar and a phone. The device provides a great way to get things done while on the move. The BlackBerry's manufacturer, Research in Motion (RIM), reported only 25,000 subscribers in their first year. But since then, its popularity has skyrocketed. By September 2005, RIM reported 3.65 million subscribers, and users describe being addicted to the devices. In June 2010, according to RIM, they had sold up to 100 million devices. BlackBerry Internet Service, or BIS is available in 91 countries internationally. BlackBerry Internet Service allows up to 10 email accounts to be accessed, including many popular email accounts such as Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo and AOL. BlackBerry Internet Service also allows for the function of the push capabilities in various other BlackBerry Applications. Various applications developed by RIM for Blackberry utilize the push capabilities of BIS, such as the Instant Messaging clients, Google Talk, ICQ, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger. Social Networks Facebook, Myspace and Twitter's notification system is accessed through BIS, allowing for push notifications for them.

RIM is now in an unusual position of having to deal with government requests to monitor its clients because it is the only smartphone maker which manages the traffic of messages sent using its equipment. The major security concern raised by different governments is the high level of encryption of data by RIM, fearing that terrorist may take advantage of this technology. The BlackBerry server uses hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) and transmission control protocol (TCP) to communicate with the handhelds. It encrypts the data with triple data encryption standard (DES) or advanced encryption standard (AES). These encrypted data are sent to the servers located in Canada and this means that governments can't access to these encrypted data. BlackBerry uses a highly secured and proprietary data transmission mechanism. Every piece of information that leaves a BlackBerry phone is encrypted and it can only be decrypted by the BlackBerry network data center in Canada. This means that no one can actually understand the encrypted message that travel through the wireless networks and internet.

As there is no way for the Government Agencies to intercept the communication that happens through BlackBerry devices, they are considering this as a threat to their national security. In particular, the United Arab Emirates had complained about the way RIM handled data making the government unable to monitor BlackBerry services, threatening the U.A.E.'s security. Governments like the U.A.E. don't have jurisdiction over RIM servers, located in places such as Canada, and the information that flows through them. There are few questions that arouse from the situation. Is there a better way of averting terrorist attacks? What about subscriber privacy, will it be guaranteed? Can cooperates trust their government with sensitive data? In market sense, 'consumer privacy' is the most important value proposition of owning a BlackBerry, even President Obama has one. Several countries were of the view that BlackBerry services are a risk because of the potential use by militant forces or terrorists. A possibility of resolving the issue would be to install RIM servers in the individual countries, removing the concern over data traveling abroad, and providing access to encrypted data streams.

Governments in several countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and India had already indicated that they will shut down BlackBerry e-mail and Web browsing services in their countries if these concerns are not addressed. Fortunately, The United Arab Emirates said it would not go ahead with the suspension of BlackBerry mobile communication services starting 11th October 10, 2010, saying the provider now complied with the Gulf’s state’s regulatory framework. There are approximately 500,000 BlackBerry subscribers in the UAE and the ban would also have applied to roaming services, affecting business executives visiting the country. The prospect of a suspension had raised concerns among subscribers as well as suggestions a ban would tarnish the UAE’s image as a business-friendly trading and tourism centre. Saudi Arabia lifted the threat of a similar ban on BlackBerry instant-messaging services in August. India at the end of August extended the deadline for its proposed BlackBerry ban for two months, so it could test some solutions' RIM had proposed for monitoring e-mail and instant messaging. For the time being, the concerns seem resolved, a sigh of relief for RIM.