espionage

Emirates Blackberry users tricked into downloading spyware by "upgrading"

Sophie Team Observers — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:49:33 +0200

When 145,000 Blackberry users in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) received this message from operator Etisalat, the majority of them went ahead and downloaded the supposed upgrade. But what they had agreed to was more than just an "ultimate experience" - they had just opened access to all their messages.

Telecoms giant Etisalat sent the message at the beginning of July. It included an invitation to download a programme which would facilitate the handover between GSM and 3G networks. But users who downloaded the programme noticed it was slowing down their handsets and rapidly using up the battery, leading them to look into the details of the patch.

What they discovered was much worse than expected. The software was nothing more than spyware created by SS8 Network, a Californian company specialised in "lawful interception and surveillance solutions".

In a press release dated July 17 Canadian Blackberry manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM) made it clear that the programme was unofficial and offered guidelines to users in removing the application from their handsets. Etisalat however denied that it were spyware and brushed off the problems as the result of a "slight technical fault" for a minority of users when downloading updates. They refused to offer any further explanation, and as yet, reasons to why they encouraged users to install the spyware, and whether any private information was retrieved, remain unknown.

Yoani sends a thank you note to her spies

Sophie Team Observers — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:45:00 +0100

Yoani Sanchez, our Observer in Cuba, is under permanent surveillance. She decided to photograph the men who camp outside her house.

Yoani lives in the capital Havana, from where she writes the blog Generacion Y. She was voted one of Time's most influential people for 2008.

I can only thank these courageous 'compañeros' who plant themselves on my doorstep day and night. Thanks to them, there's no more vandalism, fewer clothes stolen from the washing line, no more pissing on the steps, no more flashers exposing themselves to adolescents. Even the dogs have been booted out.

I've got nothing against the watchmen, they're only soldiers. But I do wonder if there's a better way to spend state money, at a time when production is crumbling. There nothing to see at my house. I've got nothing to hide. Everything I think, I write on my blog. You only need to read it..."

Kundera's fall from grace

Sophie Team Observers — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:50:27 +0200

Miroslav Dvoracek, the spy who was detained almost certainly because of Kundera. Photo from the Czech Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes.

The Czech press is dismayed by Milan Kundera after a document, dug out of Czechoslovakian police (SNB) archives, reveals that the esteemed writer was an informant in the 1950s.

According to the SNB's minutes (see below), published by the Czech Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, Milan Kundera helped to locate and arrest 21-year-old pilot Miroslav Dvoracek, who cooperated with the American counter-espionage forces. Because of this, the young pilot was condemned to 22 years in prison and wasn't released until 14 years later (more info).

Kundera has denied the accusations outright, saying that the STB report has probably been falsified. But the Czech press isn't satisfied with his explanation. And neither is our Observer Miloslav Kominek, who spent 17 years in prison and labour camps under the communist regime.