BlackBerry maker Research In Motion is disputing a report that Indian authorities will have access to its business customers’ encrypted data such as emails.
The Canadian tech company said Thursday that a report by the Economic Times of India about allowing access to the encrypted data from corporate users is “inaccurate and misleading.”
RIM said the story implies that it is “somehow enabling access to data” transmitted through its business server system.
“This is both false and technologically unfeasible,” the Waterloo, Ont., company said in a statement.
Research In Motion has repeatedly said that it doesn’t possess a “master key” to allow it or any third party to gain access to encrypted corporate data under any circumstances.
RIM has also said that locating servers in India wouldn’t make any difference since all data remain encrypted at all times through all points of transfer between the customer’s BlackBerry enterprise server and the customer’s device.
The Indian newspaper is reporting that RIM (TSX:RIM) has offered to install a “network data analysis system” in that country to allow government security agencies to intercept BlackBerry data.
The business paper’s report was based on an internal note from the government’s home ministry.
But RIM said the so-called network data analysis system is a tool required to allow carriers in India to provide lawful access to the Canadian company’s consumer services, including the BlackBerry instant messaging service, which have a lower level of security.
RIM said this type of lawful access is also required by the Indian government for consumer services provided by RIM’s competitors in that country.
“This is not new information as RIM has repeatedly confirmed that it is co-operating with the government of India and enabling carriers to lawfully access consumer services to the same degree imposed on RIM’s competitors in India.
“Further, the government of India has publicly stated that they are satisfied with RIM’s approach to satisfying lawful access requirements for consumer services.”
The Canadian company also said it’s not facing a Jan. 31 deadline by the Indian government and is working to resolve the matter.
India has more than one million BlackBerry users. It’s a fast-growing market for RIM as it expands in regions such as Asia, the Middle East and South America, outside increasingly competitive North America where it’s fighting Apple’s iPhone and Google-powered Android smartphones for dominance.
RIM has had similar security concerns with United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.