700,000 Saudi BlackBerrys go silent noisy

not unexpected

in a totalitarian terror-sponsoring state.

Could it be because it's Friday?

All faithful muslin BlackBerry users should be on their mats in the mosque on Fridays from 12:30 to 14:00H for noon prayers so they would only discover their losses afterwards.

RIM users can revert to Apps for e-mail although the security will be missing.

Baffled by this a little...

There's something a little odd going on with this which I really don't get.

The significant difference between BlackBerry's and all other GPRS connected devices is that BlackBerry have their own dedicated APN's on the mobile networks which allows them to reach all devices via an IP address. Conventional APN's cannot offer a managed IP address, so the device relies on setting up an outbound tunnel that all the data is then reversed down.

So, once you've got your connection established, you need to establish security, exchange your credentials, and away you go. RIM uses all manner of fairly well established options here (3DES, RSA, etc.) and this is the "unbreakable" bit that's being complained of as it's from the device to the server (on a corporate device this lives at the company's IT HQ and generally connects to their Exchange Server). However, if I use my Apple or Android device and make an OMA/HTTPS connection to the same Exchange Server (ours is set up to do both BB and OMA/HTTPS), establish credentials and can then receive push email via a reverse push.

The bit I am confused about is that if my memory serves me correctly, properly certificated HTTPS is meant to be ultra-secure which is why it's used for credit card and banking transactions. This puts it in a similar league to RIM's security, so why hasn't HTTPS been disabled, or has it? If not, then all the bad people can simply change to iPhones and go about their business with impunity.

Then... there's always Skype!

Negotiation time is up

" but what's harder to understand is the urgency with which the government applied the ban"

How long have they been negotiating with RIM? Patience seems to have run out.

There will be a cascade. UAE next and then the biggie - India.

All emails, encrypted they may be, go via Canada and are read by the NSA and shared with trusted partners.

What if Samsung insisted on all emails going via its servers in Korea with emails encrypted - OK, the US might leverage access, but if not neither they nor the UK would be happy.

Too slow....

Service is back on again apparently.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/technology-10896653

"United Arab Emirates (UEA)"

Um.. don't think you got that right.

...you know, it strikes me...

That this is very easy to explain...

BB's use servers run by a US company - which is a no-no in the emirates (we might trade with you offendi, but we dont have to like it!)... Saudis companies & companies from other countries out that way arent keen on respecting british law when they are trading in the UK - so I doubt they are too amused on it being shoved in their faces on their own soil

But more than this the US Government use them - and I wouldnt be surprised if americans 'nose poker'inners' to quote Gen. Melchett use them as well. Now given that its pretty much known that Iraq and Afghanistan had nothing to do with 9/11 - and 90% of the 9/11 lot were Saudi nationals, whats the betting that the saudi's think that some interesting data might be on its way soon to the USA.?.. information which wouldnt paint them in the best of lights maybe...?

Its interesting that the countries that have either banned or are threatening to ban the BB service are ones that historically havent gotten on well with American Foreign Policy (such as it can be called a policy) and will probably therefore have a few people in deep cover sending interesting little tidbits back home under a nicely encrypted BB link...

The odd thing is that RIM have seemingly bent over and taken it in the proverbial backside - without even offering up more than a token powerpoint whining session. Thats the only part that doesnt really make sense from both a espionage and keeping customers point of view (first the UAE, Saudi rendering expensive kit effectively useless, where is it gonna happen next...?)

I am betting that there is going to be a VW vs. Tatra situation going on here. RIM could sue the Saud & UAE governments for millions over this.. but they dont seem to be... I think someone high up has told them - like Hitler told VW over the T97 Lawsuit - "Don't worry mate, It'll be sorted, just you wait and see..". Hitler solved VW's problem by invading Czechoslovakia, I'm real curious to see what ObamaCo have planned...

After all - the US Govt would be well within its rights to give the Saudi's a right royal kicking what with the way the dominos have lined up over the 9/11 situation and who is to blame. I suspect the pull out from Iraq and Afghanistan might be the prelude to a move on Saudi Arabia...

*Goes to hide in her bomb shelter till it all blows over (or up, as the case may be)*

I can see the conversation:

Prince 1: Turn it of now

Prince 2: Okay <click> done

Prince 1: Okay email when you get back to the palace.

[Prince 2 heads off]

[30 minutes later - sound of phone ringing]

Prince 1: Hello?

Prince 2: I cant fricken email you, you tw*t, my blackberry isnt work

Prince 1: Doh!

Or some such - yeah it needs editing to make it more amusing.

This just goes to show

That putting 21st Century technology in the hands of 7th Century society still leaves the society with a 7th Century mentality. The whole point of these bans has to do with control of the population, and nothing to do with terrorist or security.

Encryption?

Wasn't that the problem? The 'powers-that-be' wanted to be able to monitor all messages.*

For protection against terr'ists.

Er, why? The nationality of the majority of the 9/11 folks was, erm...I forget. Conveniently. I'ts on my Blackberry, but it seems a bit bricked right now.

However, you can bet your shirt that no Saudi Prince's Blackberry has been locked.

When my ex-missus was working as a nurse in Saudi, one of the princes, who'd been to Bahrain for far too much 'pop' died, the hospital director directed her to change the death cert. from Liver Cirrosis to "Heart failure".

As she said to me later (paraphrased so I can use the IT icon) , "Truth is a constant in most countries, but a variable in others"

RIM is not so innocent

Why do you think European Union is moving most of its employees to iPhone, and HTC.

As for protecting users Blackberry didn't mind sharing security "features" with China, and few other countries. Also, their so called "security" is nothing more then forcing Blackberry users' to sign "data contract" with mobile providers.