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India’s intelligence officials complain they are unable to decipher encrypted data sent on BlackBerry handsets, which were used during the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008. (File)
India could ban the BlackBerry message service on the grounds of national security if the smartphone’s maker does not give the government the means to intercept messages, The National reported on Sunday.
The Indian telecommunications ministry has given Research In Motion (RIM), the Canadian maker of the BlackBerry, until the end of this month to provide access to messages on the BlackBerry network, according to various media reports.
India’s intelligence officials have long complained they are unable to decipher encrypted data sent on BlackBerry handsets, which were used during the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008.
BlackBerry’s suite of communication services such as e-mail and BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) use RIM’s internal network and are encrypted under one of the world’s most complex codes.
The device’s security traits are one of the main features that differentiates RIM’s products in the highly competitive smartphone world.
Messages sent from other smartphones, including Apple’s and Nokia’s, are not equipped with such robust encryption and can be easily intercepted by intelligence agencies.
The person said to be in charge of the BlackBerry issue for India’s department of telecoms, could not be reached. RIM officials declined to comment.
Rahul Matthan, the founding partner at Trilegal, a Bangalore law firm specialising in telecoms, said it was unclear if the government would ban the BlackBerry message service, given its popularity in India.
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