Canada project aims to track BlackBerry traffic

TORONTO, CANADA: Canadian computer scientists have launched a project to track BlackBerry traffic exiting Research In Motion's encrypted network, with a focus on countries that have sought greater access.

The United Arab Emirates said this month that it had resolved a dispute with RIM, without providing details, while a source said in August that RIM had given Saudi Arabia codes to allow authorities to track its BlackBerry Messenger service.

RIM has granted Indian authorities access to Messenger but remains locked in negotiations over access to encrypted data sent via the Waterloo, Ontario-based company's enterprise servers.

The project, called RIM Check, is being conducted by the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab and Ottawa-based think tank SevDev Group.

It "is inspired by a broad need to monitor the activities of private sector actors that own and operate cyberspace," Citizen Lab said on its website. "Particularly as they come under increasing pressure to co-operate with governments on national surveillance and censorship laws, policies, and requests."

RIM typically declines comment on deals with specific countries, but says it cannot access enterprise data and will not alter the security architecture of its corporate offering.

Data traffic on handsets from rivals such as Apple and Nokia can be more easily intercepted via a network carrier.