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Some are enacting a ban based on where email/messenger data is stored. Since they can not easily sift through all the data on a local server.
India is also considering banning blackberry's.
Meanwhile ISP's in the States sell(handling fee) users data to U.S. government agents via a quick postit note looking for information.
"What's a warrant", they say.
And some people wonder why so many people are moving over to encrypted communications. Since various governments consider nothing to be private when using Internet communications.
Quote
aug 2 2010
After spyware fails, UAE gives up and bans BlackBerrys
The United Arab Emirates tends to be one of the more moderate nations in the Persian Gulf region, which may have contributed to its rise as a major financial center. The bankers apparently brought their BlackBerrys with them, creating a small but dedicated group of users on the UAE's local carriers, like Etisalat. But one of the selling points of the BlackBerry—strong encryption between the hardware and RIM's e-mail servers in Canada—hasn't sat well with the UAE's security services. After previous attempts to subvert the encryption, the UAE has now decided to simply ban sales of the devices. Meanwhile Saudi Arabia is considering blocking the use of RIM's instant messaging service.
The problem, from the security service's perspective, is that the e-mails never spend any time where the UAE's security services can examine their contents. In what appeared to be an earlier attempt to get around this issue, Etisalat attempted to get RIM users on its network to install some software that simply took any e-mail that had been decrypted and forwarded it on to a server within the UAE. This effort was quickly discovered, however, and RIM washed its hands of the whole thing publicly.
Now, the UAE has apparently decided that if you can't subvert them, you might as well kill them. As of October, RIM devices will be cut off from Internet access when using carriers based in the UAE. The security services would apparently accept the company setting up a local proxy server for monitoring, but the user population is small enough that RIM may be comfortable walking away from that market instead.
But there are some signs that the UAE isn't alone in this. A BBC report on the same topic mentioned that some BlackBerry services would be banned by Saudi Arabia; both mentioned India being concerned with its inability to monitor traffic from the devices. If other security-conscious nations follow suit, RIM could find that, collectively, the moves would threaten a considerable fraction of its customer base.
Why the apparent ire is focused on the devices themselves rather than the general approach isn't clear. An SSL connection to an offshore e-mail server would seem to create just as much trouble as RIM's approach, but there don't seem to be any efforts afoot to clamp down on other smartphone platforms.
After spyware fails, UAE gives up and bans BlackBerrys
The United Arab Emirates tends to be one of the more moderate nations in the Persian Gulf region, which may have contributed to its rise as a major financial center. The bankers apparently brought their BlackBerrys with them, creating a small but dedicated group of users on the UAE's local carriers, like Etisalat. But one of the selling points of the BlackBerry—strong encryption between the hardware and RIM's e-mail servers in Canada—hasn't sat well with the UAE's security services. After previous attempts to subvert the encryption, the UAE has now decided to simply ban sales of the devices. Meanwhile Saudi Arabia is considering blocking the use of RIM's instant messaging service.
The problem, from the security service's perspective, is that the e-mails never spend any time where the UAE's security services can examine their contents. In what appeared to be an earlier attempt to get around this issue, Etisalat attempted to get RIM users on its network to install some software that simply took any e-mail that had been decrypted and forwarded it on to a server within the UAE. This effort was quickly discovered, however, and RIM washed its hands of the whole thing publicly.
Now, the UAE has apparently decided that if you can't subvert them, you might as well kill them. As of October, RIM devices will be cut off from Internet access when using carriers based in the UAE. The security services would apparently accept the company setting up a local proxy server for monitoring, but the user population is small enough that RIM may be comfortable walking away from that market instead.
But there are some signs that the UAE isn't alone in this. A BBC report on the same topic mentioned that some BlackBerry services would be banned by Saudi Arabia; both mentioned India being concerned with its inability to monitor traffic from the devices. If other security-conscious nations follow suit, RIM could find that, collectively, the moves would threaten a considerable fraction of its customer base.
Why the apparent ire is focused on the devices themselves rather than the general approach isn't clear. An SSL connection to an offshore e-mail server would seem to create just as much trouble as RIM's approach, but there don't seem to be any efforts afoot to clamp down on other smartphone platforms.
Quote
aug 1 2010
Two Persian 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.
* 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".
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.
"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.
Two Persian 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.
* 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".
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.
"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.
Edited by zalternate, 30 August 2010 - 07:53 PM.
Can't have the people talking or texting online in private anymore.
