So wait…there is something to this story after all?
eep.
From ZDNet Australia:
Mobile device manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM) is unconcerned about a new release of software that aims to compromise the security of a BlackBerry device.
As reported yesterday, the latest version of legal spying software FlexiSPY enables remote third parties to bug the voice calls, log SMS and mobile e-mail messages and track the location of a BlackBerry user.
Ian Robertson, senior manager of security and research at RIM, said users need not be particularly worried about the capability of FlexiSPY.
“While it’s the subject of some debate, I don’t consider it a virus nor a Trojan, as it does require conscientious effort from the user to load the program,” he said.
Robertson said an average user that maintains good hygiene would never see the software loaded onto their device without their knowledge.
There are some basic steps, he said, that users can take to protect themselves.
First, a user should set a password for their device so that nobody else can physically load the application. “This is the same for any device, be it a laptop or a smartphone,” he said.
Second, the user should only load applications from known and trusted sources.
“With those two methods alone, no surreptitious software can be inadvertently loaded onto the device,” he said.
Finally, the BlackBerry service comes with a built-in software firewall. “If it isn’t enabled already, be sure to have it switched on,” Robertson said.
[tags]Mobile Device, Surrveillance, SMS Bugging[/tags]