[menog] El Reg: BlackBerry update bursting with spyware

[Bill Woodcock]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/14/blackberry_snooping/

BlackBerry update bursting with spyware
Official snooping suspected in UAE
By Bill Ray
Posted in Spyware, 14th July 2009 18:31 GMT
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An update pushed out to BlackBerry users on the Etisalat network in  
the United Arab Emirates appears to contain remotely-triggered spyware  
that allows the interception of messages and emails, as well as  
crippling battery life.

Sent out as a WAP Push message, the update installs a Java file that  
one curious customer decided to take a closer look at, only to  
discover (http://www.blackberrycool.com/2009/07/uae-spying-on-citizens-through-an-etisalat-blackberry-update/ 
) an application intended to intercept both email and text messages,  
sending a copy to an Etisalat server without the user being aware of  
anything beyond a slightly excessive battery drain.
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