India Claims To Have Cracked Blackberry Encryption; Proudly Spying On Emails

from the details-missing dept

Tue, Sep 23rd 2008 11:16am — Mike Masnick

Earlier this year, India demanded that RIM allow it to easily snoop on any email messages sent via Blackberry devices. The company explained that since the end user sets the encryption key, there's simply no way to provide a backdoor to snoop on the messages. However, now the government is proudly claiming that it's cracked the code and can now monitor Blackberry messages on various mobile operator networks. The details are quite vague, especially an offhand comment about how this is "wholly for non-enterprise solutions." That would suggest, then, that enterprise Blackberry messages may remain secure. It also raises questions about whether or not the mobile operators in question are simply providing access to their mail servers. Either way, the whole thing seems weird -- including the government's effort to publicize the fact that it's spying on Blackberry messages.

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Filed Under: blackberry, email, encryption, india

36 Comments

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unknownsoldier, 23 Sep 2008 @ 11:22am

Get McCain
John McCain can fix it, after all he invented the Blackberry.
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Raghubir Singh, 23 Sep 2008 @ 11:50am

Every country has the right to spy on any form of communications to protect the citizens from terrorists and related activities. This should be done in the name of security. I have no problem with any govt, if my emails are read, my telephone calls are traced; I don't care--as long as I am safe.
I give this privacy thing away for security and encourage every body to do so.
Only people who want to hide things from govt, would cry against this i the name of stupid privacy crap.
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Potato Head, 23 Sep 2008 @ 11:59am

Re:
Looks like India is tooting it own horn!
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koresho, 23 Sep 2008 @ 12:04pm

Re: @Raghubir
I really, really hope that you are joking.

"They who would trade privacy for security will get neither and deserve none". Slight modification, I know... but it fits.
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Simon, 23 Sep 2008 @ 12:06pm

More details
http://www.heise-online.co.uk/security/Times-of-India-reports-alleged-BlackBerry-decryption--/news/1 11584

"The decryption claim relates to listening in on unencrypted BIS traffic only. Since these messages are forwarded unencrypted outside the BIS anyway, it hardly represents a breakthrough by the Indian security services."

Raghubir Singh, you are a tool.
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Matt (profile), 23 Sep 2008 @ 12:07pm

after all
so if you have nothing to hide from the gov't, what are you hiding from us? How about you identify exactly who you are, maybe give us all your forms of identification. You can trust us, right Shilly McShill?
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Derek Cramer, 23 Sep 2008 @ 12:07pm

Re:
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin

There are many legal (read: non-terrorist) motives for having privacy. You are not doing anything illegal in the bathroom or bedroom, but I don't know anyone that would want the government in there with them.
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Govt, Offical Kumar, 23 Sep 2008 @ 12:08pm

Re:
We have striped your rights to getting privacy.

Thank you kindly,

Kumar
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Sep 2008 @ 12:12pm

Re:
Communist!
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Sep 2008 @ 12:16pm

NEWSFLASH: I have developed a way of listening to all traffic on my network and viewing passwords when they are not encrypted.

DUH! This is retarded and hardly newsworthy.
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wasnt me!, 23 Sep 2008 @ 12:31pm

Re:
i really hope ur being sarcastic.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Sep 2008 @ 12:58pm

The Gold Medal for cracking the Crackberry goes to...
..the country that won only Gold Medal in the Olympics!

[Applause]

Abhinav Bindra, come take your prize and be sure to update your CV.
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Frank, 23 Sep 2008 @ 1:11pm

What's new?
This should come as no surprise. Privacy laws don't apply outside the US. There are no general data protection laws. This includes phone-based banking transactions.
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Overcast, 23 Sep 2008 @ 1:38pm

Re:
I have no problem with any govt, if my emails are read, my telephone calls are traced; I don't care--as long as I am safe.

Safe from who? Certainly not safe from the Government. Of course, this is 2008, we don't have to worry about Government anymore, it's so very kind and always out for our best interests!!

Of course, that wasn't true 20+ years ago, but the media and others will have you believe it is now.
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Nappy Rash, 23 Sep 2008 @ 1:41pm

Intellectual Property Rights
It does show you how much India trusts their own IPR laws. It's not like China but nothing like the West.
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Your Gawd and Master, 23 Sep 2008 @ 1:46pm

Re:
You obviously haven't watched the video on why you should never talk to the police even if you are 100% innocent. There was a video a while back circulating about it and the professor who was making that claim let a police detective get the last word. Know what HE had to say about it? "You're 100% correct. We don't try to prosecute innocent people but anything you say can and will be used against you."

In that same video it's pointed out that while a police officer can SAY that he'll put in a good word for you in court, he's lying because he's Constitutionally prohibited from doing so. He can say all the bad stuff in the world about you but can't talk about how you cooperated fully and actually gave him a lead to the real criminal even though you're the one defending your "innocent" self.

So trust them all you want and let me know who you are so we can get your naive ass locked up for life and out of the way of people who want REAL freedom.
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Hypo, 23 Sep 2008 @ 2:14pm

Your Gawd and Master
It probably is best to invoke your right to silence. However, you are mistaken when you say that the police are constitutionally prohibited from putting the good word in for you. In the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, there is a a provision known as a 5k where the gov. does just that - they vouch for the cooperation provided by the accused. Also, if the gov has exculpatory information it must turn that over to the defense.
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Ananth, 23 Sep 2008 @ 2:25pm

Before talking about other countries in the world one has to realize I mean folks/citizens of the so called world power "THE US" did evesdrop on their own citizens phone calls ... so it is not matter which country is doing it, it is all about why the country is doing it ... US did it for their own personal reasons and India is doing it for their own personal reasons. How in this world does encrypting a blackberry message be different from evesdropping. I believe most of you are intelligent here, so please do educate me with your expertise especially the one who gave a pathetic example of "Bedroom/Bathroom". Come on guys be realistic. US spys on every freaking individual, there is no security of ones personal records.

My point is, one cannot avoid such things no matter which country one lives in. You are being watched day in and day out. We think we are more secured with our personal records. Our entire personal record is available by some means or the other, so encrypting a black berry message come on big deal!!!!!!
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Sep 2008 @ 2:28pm

It is a different world here
The Indian government would definitely be proud what they have "achieved".
The world here is different. A lot different from the West. We are at a higher security risk here and government eavesdropping on messages and calls is a "security measure" here.
I may know that what they claim is absurd and/or dangerous.
But the illiterate shopkeeper down the lane feels safe that the government is "doing something to protect him". He will vote for the same government again, because of its "technical superiority" in "handling terrorism". I do not blame him - when he sees bloodshed in the market, all he can do is hope.
This is a different world here. Equally far from the US and China...
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Mordaxus, 23 Sep 2008 @ 3:47pm

Raised Eyebrow Department
That's hard to believe, because the BB has a complete cryptosystem on the handset complete with hardware crypto. The mails are encrypted on the handset.

However, it is well known in infosec that one of the best ways to spy on someone is to convince them that the secure system they are using has been breached, in the hopes that they will switch to an insecure system.

My bet is there.
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Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 23 Sep 2008 @ 5:04pm

Re: Nothing to Hide?
Raghubir Singh wrote:
Only people who want to hide things from govt, would cry against this i the name of stupid privacy crap.

Do you have curtains on your windows? What have you got to hide?
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Sep 2008 @ 5:06pm

Re:
"You are being watched day in and day out."

So what you are saying is that they can see me right now holding up my middle finger at them.
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....., 23 Sep 2008 @ 5:10pm

Double ROT 13
I am really security minded and that is why my personal choice is Double ROT 13 encryption. Lets see what the Customer Service folks in India can do with that.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2008 @ 12:30am

I still don't understand why idiots post here. You'd think the basic subject matter of economics would require some intelligence. Customer Service folks in India. Sheesh. What's wrong with you people?

Every country but the USA knows that all governments are corrupt. Just keep hiding your head in the sand, ostrich boy.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2008 @ 6:17am

"Every country but the USA knows that all governments are corrupt."

That is the biggest joke I have ever heard don't you ever watch TV, they talk about so much corruption in US government. I appreciate your patriotism my Kudos to you. :)) As your name sounds right "Anonymous Coward" you are one of a kind, so there is no point in arguing with you buddy.

Anyways, back to the point of this article. I would like to see if there is a way to crack blackberry encryption. Because I totally agree with "there's simply no way to provide a backdoor to snoop on the messages".
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DoH, 24 Sep 2008 @ 6:40am

Re:
"I still don't understand why idiots post here. You'd think the basic subject matter of economics would require some intelligence. Customer Service folks in India. Sheesh. What's wrong with you people?"

You totally missed the attempt at humor.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2008 @ 10:08am

oh yeah, DoH, I forgot that "customer service" jokes were humor. Thank you, come again!
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2008 @ 11:17am

Re:
"oh yeah, DoH, I forgot that "customer service" jokes were humor. Thank you, come again!"

Not too bright are ya ?
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2008 @ 10:20pm

All of which takes me back to my original post, why do so many idiots post comments here?
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Nitin, 24 Sep 2008 @ 11:41pm

Don't trust Times of India
First of all a "Time of India" news should never be taken on it's face value. All the journalists there are concerned with only whats going on Britney Spear's life.

As far as Indian govt. is concerned after recent bomb activities in several Indian cities, Indian govt. is very keen on sniffing all networks. In fact, this sniffing got them to arrest some techie terrorists responsible for Delhi blasts. No wonder, the govt. is keen on doing this.

I am not sure why the govt. would openly let ppl know why it's doing this. Only reason could be cuz it can afford to do so unlike in US. Also sniffing doesn't mean that someone gets to read all your net activities. It only means that if you are visiting terrorist sites too often or convey such things over mail. In such a case you are most likely a terrorist and must be dealt with.

Take the finnish incident for eg. the guy posted his youtube video of holding out gun etc. Police were alrted they even confronted him. However cuz of no proper evidence he was allowed to let go and next day he shot several ppl.
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Nitin, 24 Sep 2008 @ 11:44pm

Re: Don't trust Times of India
I surfed through other dailies and there was no such news. This is clearly a Times of India masala story. Govt. would never beat the horn saying it has decrypted some encryption if it ever did and then warn potential hackers to change the encryption. Thats just plain stupid!!
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Sep 2008 @ 11:21am

"All of which takes me back to my original post, why do so many idiots post comments here?"

So you agree that you are an idiot.
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Anonymous Coward, 30 Sep 2008 @ 7:43pm

Re:
You are a Fool. "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Benjamin Franklin
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ss, 3 Mar 2009 @ 3:31am

Re: Re:
The answer is if they want , they can
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Jul 2010 @ 2:39am

Re:
Only people who want to hide things from govt, would cry against this i the name of stupid privacy crap.

Ah the old "nothing to hide nothing to fear" fallacy.

I assume this means you won't mind me installing CCTV in your shower then.
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Beam Me Up Scotty, 4 Aug 2010 @ 11:19am

Re: government is honest?
You have to be kidding, politicians are the biggest liars and thieves on the planet and you want them to have all access to information?

Won't allowing political government people to have access to all our information allow them to use it against you. In the USA the government has zero right/power to invade our papers home or person to know all our secrets. Read the constitution and get a life.
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