RIM Quashes Reports of Allowing India to Tap Data

















The issue between RIM and the Indian Government seems to be going the average Indian soap way! The dust hasn't quite settled yet on the battlefield that is the secure data but for awhile yesterday, it seemed like there was some reprieve in the situation.

A report yesterday, by the Economic Times spoke of RIM possibly allowing the Indian Government access to all emails and messages of BlackBerry users in the country via a network data analysis system (NDAS) at their base here in India. This system was apparently designed to automatically decode the secure data i.e. corporate emails etc. that BlackBerry is noted for, granting the government access. The set up would ensure that this data would be completely secure and would not leave the country under any means. These reports were later said to be “false and technologically infeasible” according to RIM, reported The Guardian. It seems that an internal home ministry memo, which supposedly said that RIM would automatically give authority for all kinds of BlackBerry communications, including encrypted enterprise emails was misinterpreted.

RIM denied the reports and said that no one but the BlackBerry user would have the key to decrypt messages that they sent or received. They have, however, added that the security authorities could access all conversations that take place in the now extremely popular Blackberry Messenger service space.

While RIM has been having a tough time with many Governments regarding its privacy issue, it’s only fair from the phone company to hit out at any reports claiming they've given in. The stalemate continues and the time is fast approaching for a resolution to be made from either end.