Blackberry maker Research in Motion (RIM) has raised questions about the Indian government’s encryption worries. RIM feels the encryption level of smartphones is not going to have any added impact on India’s security.

RIM pointed out that there are four other existing players - Windows Mobile ActiveSync, Nokia Intellisync, Motorola Good, and Seven Networks - offering similar encryption level. RIM cried out of being targeted of irrational hostility by the government policies.

Earlier, tje Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked the Blackberry maker to handover its master keys to DoT and to set up servers in India. Given the higher security concerns, National Agencies want to monitor emails and data sent and received via BlackBerry.

It is not possible for DoT to decrypt if RIM network uses its higher encryption level at 256-bit as it doesn’t possess a technical know-how of that level. So, the DoT wants to lower the level to 40 bit for the security agencies to monitor. RIM has refused to do so.

On the other hand, the Indian Government’s worry cannot be blown away. DoT earlier stated that the terrorists could use the BlackBerry services which cannot be monitored because of the higher encryption level.

RIM complained of double standard policy and demanded of imposing a similar rule to four other e-mail mobile players too. X

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