Etisalat BlackBerry update was indeed spyware, RIM provides a solution
By Darren Murph 
posted Jul 21st 2009 9:41AM
posted Jul 21st 2009 9:41AM
"Etisalat appears to have distributed a telecommunications surveillance application... independent sources have concluded that it is possible that the installed software could then enable unauthorized access to private or confidential information stored on the user's smartphone. Independent sources have concluded that the Etisalat update is not designed to improve performance of your BlackBerry Handheld, but rather to send received messages back to a central server."
Like we said, yikes. The zaniest part is that Etisalat isn't backing down, still assuring the world that the upgrades were "required for service enhancements." At any rate, RIM has made remarkably clear that the update wasn't one authorized by the company, and it's even providing an app remover for those who'd prefer their BlackBerry to be in working order and, you know, not forwarding all their email to some dude in an Etisalat supply closet. Good on you, RIM. Bad on you, Etisalat.
[Thanks, Gerald]
Read - Confirmation of spyware
Read - RIM app remover
Etisalat's customer base dropping in 5, 4, 3...
See that's where you are wrong! in the UAE there are only two telecommunication companies. Etisalat owned by the government and Du a subsidiary of ...(wait for it) Etisalat. We the residents of UAE are sentenced to a lifelong suffering from high prices, mediocre services and now spyware. What next?
iPhone's, that's what next ;)
standing by for the official Paul to comment.
Apple isn't next because they keep a stranglehold on their software.
While the UAE still retains a very powerful monarchy and are accused of all kinds of human rights abuses similar to many other middle eastern countries, I do give a lot of credit to their King for implementing widespread reforms and establishing a major tourism and financial industry for when the oil dries up. Also, hasn't the UAE law's become way more liberal than say Saudi Arabia/Yemen/Oman/Etc.
Oman is certainly far, far better than both Saudi and Yemen in this regard, though you're right that it's more conservative than the UAE and Qatar.
That said, most anyone who has lived in the Gulf for an extended period of time comes to realize that even the most liberal countries there are all very friendly, open, etc, as long as you don't upset the status quo, which can sometimes be tenuous at best. So much of it is a facade. There are certainly major human rights abuses, very active internal intelligence services (i.e. secret police), large scale corruption, etc, that go on to various degrees in every single one of the Gulf States, but these things are almost never addressed or challenged. Either the political and financial interests of the rich and powerful are at stake, or every bit as often, the governments are so concerned with keeping up appearances that even the public suggestion that something is less than perfect is seen as unacceptably shameful, and is suppressed to as great an extent as possible.
du is far better. (so far)
Still I wonder if this removal app will actually remove it...
...why do you wonder that? Think RIM put out a removal app that does absolutely nothing?
In a word, yes. Do you believe everything a company tells you when it refers to Government situations?
When that company outright condemns a government created tool and provides a means to remove it, then yes, I do.
But then again, I'm not an idiot.
IMO and with all respect, you sound like a sucker to me.
You're right. I am going back to my bomb shelter before the man gets me.
There is such a thing as too paranoid -.-
Etisalat is crazy.
I prefer Vodafone Qatar anyday
Etisalat STILL isn't backing down? Haha
I'm Lovin' it!
And I thought Batelco sucked ass......
Batelco is still $#!@t .... crazy internet prices on mobiles .... and still no flat rates!
بتلكو اكبر حرامية
That's True...I just hope Batelco and Zain don't go this low like Etisalat.......
i wonder when Symantac or AVG or ESET will release a moble virus software for handhelds..that is sad because surly those programs will be resource hogs and slow down handeld performance
How long until Gitmo nation west tries pulling this off?
Did you somehow miss the large-scale wiretapping scandal when Bush was in office? Here they don't mess around with phones, they just install the black box equipment right into the backbone of the network!
What will be done about it over there? spying on a person should be against the law. Its deceptive, shouldn't this by against some type of rules there?
What about in teh US?
what other options do they have? UAE is evil... Etisalat is Evil... no wonder why Halliburton is moving there..
lawsuits will be pending
and they say the american telecoms are ruthless...
can you say massive lawsuit..what a disaster!!!!
Can you say: 'state owned company does what it likes', hence the lack of backing down.
As healthcare will soon be in the US.
State controlled, no accountability.
Ridiculous. There is certainly a rich history of abuse of power in the US, but at the very least there is a system of checks and balances in place that more or less actually works in the big picture, though of course not in each and every circumstance. There is nothing remotely like that in the UAE.
As an aside, every other Western democracy has a national health care system. Unless you're willing to call them all tyrannical socialist regimes, I think you might be a bit misguided in your criticism of US health reform.
@ Ordeith:
You are a comedian. You should so stand up !
JM:
I do notice that the UK spent 100% of their entire GDP last budget cycle.
I also notice the years long wait lists for surgery in Canada.
I also notice the leaders of those western countries all coming to the US for healthcare, none of them take part in their socialized medicine.
Sensible regulation? ok. More Government owned failures? no thanks.
While it's a fair point that long wait times in some of these countries is a significant issue, I also notice that nobody in any of those countries is left without medical coverage, as opposed to near 50 million people here in the US.
As an aside, it's true that the NHS in Britain certainly has trouble keeping to a balanced budget, but its costs run to a little under 100 billion pounds, which is far less than the UK's GDP, which is around 1.5 trillion pounds. That runs to about 8% of the UK's GDP. We spend about 15% of our much larger GDP on health costs.
It's true that the US still has the most technologically advanced health care in the world, but it costs, and most people frankly can't afford that level of care: I guarantee you that world leaders who come here for treatment generally aren't going to the hospitals that you or I would go to if we fell ill.
Ah... so the death threats were playing out of his BlackBerry and not his nano...
People here seem to forget the Patriot Act...
take your tin foil hat and go away
If the only thing blocking suicide bombers from the US was a border, we'd probably be under much closer surveillance, too.
Thank God I left that country. Getting hooked up with internet takes 3 months unless you know a guy who knows a guy, phone service was so-so at best and now genuine spyware with your shiny new blackberry. What else does the UAE aim to be best at? The best at pissing off the people?
what is etisalat and what is it suppose to do?
Amateurs. If you're going to spy on a nation of people through their smart phones, at least be covert about it. What a bunch of morons. RIM, thank you for taking the appropriate actions against this. Does the removal tool prevent the software from being pushed own again, though? On first thought, I doubt it does.
Surprise, Surprise. A Canadian company does the right thing. Why can't Canada be the bad guy for once?
im surprised no one mentioned the iphone scam by eitalat yet
Etisalat is actually a federal company (i.e. owned by the UAE's federal government). Du is a Dubai company, owned by the Dubai government. This is as good a competition as we will get here until the market is opened up to other licensed telecommunications providers, which is expected in the next 2-3 years.
and SS8, the developer of the spyware is a company from....Jupiter? ...no actually it is an American company, goes to say what enough dollars can buy you, a democracy loving company to implement big brother, hypocrisy? maybe.......not that Etisalat should be left off the hook, but it takes at least 2 to tango