DoT likely to seek BlackBerry key

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The government is likely to seek the decryption key to monitor the mails sent through the BlackBerry Enterprise mail server, which the authorities fear pose threat to national security.

The Indian security agencies have raised concern regarding the threat through the BlackBerry mails, which are sent through the BlackBerry mail service in an encrypted form.

Canadian wireless device company, Research In Motion Limited (RIM) is the developer of BlackBerry handheld communication device.

According to Department of Telecommunication (DoT) officials, emails are sent through the BlackBerry handheld devices in an encrypted format, which cannot be scanned unlike other mails sent through the ordinary mail server.

It may be recalled that CyberMedia News had reported that the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) had initiated a process to put in place Lawful Intercept (LI) to monitor Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls.

“Unlike other email messages, BlackBerry mails cannot be monitored as they are sent in an encryption format through the wireless network in data packets. It is only through the client using the decryption key, the mails could be scanned. The discussion is on with the company people on this issue. However, a favourable solution is likely to come soon,” the official said.

BlackBerry provides security, in the form of Triple Data Encryption Standard or Advanced Encryption Standard of all data that travels between the BlackBerry handheld and a BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

The Department of Telecom (DoT) will convene a meeting with the operators on Friday to discuss this issue.

After the security agencies raised the concern, the government had issued notices to telecom operators, which have been offering BlackBerry services, to stop the service by December 31, 2007 on security reasons.

However, later the deadline was extended till March 31.

Currently Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, Reliance Communications and BPL Mobile are offering BlackBerry services on their networks.

There are more than four lakh blackberry users in india.