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BlackBerry gets reprieve, vows access

NEW DELHI: Just a day ahead of the deadline for its services being blocked in India, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) on Monday agreed to provide "certain proposals" or technical solutions through which security agencies can monitor both its services — messenger as well as enterprise. The messenger and enterprise services, which deal with corporate email, will be scrutinised with immediate effect in real time. The effectiveness of solutions will be reviewed within 60 days by October 31. If this does not work to satisfaction of Indian agencies, RIM may be asked to locate its server in India. After having arrived at an understanding that gives RIM a breather while its solutions are tested, government has decided to serve notices to Google and Skype in a day or two asking for full access to services for security reasons. The home ministry's decision to give Research In Motion (RIM) a breather is being seen as a step back. Government has been demanding interception and monitoring access to BlackBerry's messenger and enterprise services in readable format for the past two years which RIM has been either unwilling or unable to comply. Monday's decision will be a relief to about 4.5 lakh BlackBerry Enterprise Service (BES) users of the estimated 11 lakh BlackBerry user base in India. RIM officials did not respond to phone calls. Security experts in the know of the negotiations said RIM was not in a position to give access to encrypted data on its enterprise service or its PIN-to- PIN messenger service as this compromised its global standard. Therefore, no real concessions have been made, it was claimed. The decision on RIM was taken in a meeting chaired by Union home secretary G K Pillai on Monday. Representatives of security and intelligence agencies including National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) and senior officials of telecom department participated in detailed deliberations. "RIM has made certain proposals for lawful access by law enforcement agencies and this would be operationalised immediately. The feasibility of solutions offered would be assessed thereafter," a home ministry statement said.

                                                                                                               
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