Etisalat / SS8 Software spying software

From the attached document:

"Recently, Etisalat, a carrier in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), sent an SMS message to a number of their customers informing them of a software patch that was available for BlackBerry smartphones and indicating that the software patch would enhance the performance of the BlackBerry service if it was downloaded and installed on the smartphone. Etisalat included a web link in the SMS message urging these customers to download and install the software.

Etisalat also issued a press release that referred to the software as a BlackBerry Software Upgrade.

RIM confirms that this software is not a patch and it is not a RIM authorized upgrade. RIM did not develop this software application and RIM was not involved in any way in the testing, promotion or distribution of this software application" ...

The document goes on and provides BES Admin's with instructions on how to remove the application if for some reason a user had installed it. Execute the following SQL command against your BlackBerry Configuration Database to obtain a list of users that have installed the application:

SELECT SyncDeviceMgmt.UserConfigID, SyncDeviceMgmt.ModuleName,
UserConfig.PIN, UserConfig.DisplayName
FROM SyncDeviceMgmt
INNER JOIN UserConfig
ON SyncDeviceMgmt.UserConfigID=UserConfig.Id
WHERE SyncDeviceMgmt.ModuleName='Registration’

If indeed a user has installed the application, you could attempt to get a copy of the .cod file and then setup a software configuration / application control policy to block the application from being installed on your handhelds by setting the disposition of the application to disallowed.

Alternatively, end users could perform one of the following actions to remove the application from their handheld:

1. Using the javaloader.exe utility on your desktop PC:
   1. Download and install the BlackBerry Java Development Environment Component Package.
   2. Connect your BlackBerry smartphone to a desktop via the USB cable.
   3. Remove the application using Javaloader by issuing the following command:

   javaloader -u erase –f Registration.cod
   

   If prompted, enter the device password on your desktop computer.
   <br>
2. Directly from your smartphone:

1. Download the RemoveRegistration application from the following link:
2. BlackBerry - Registration App Remover for BlackBerry smartphones
3. When prompted, begin the download and authorize the application to run.
4. The application will run and if the Registration.cod file exists on your smartphone it will be deleted. Note that your smartphone may need to reset in order to complete this operation.

Keep in mind that to install this Registration.cod application the end user must click on the SMS link, retrieve the file, and successfully grant it the requested permissions... apparently it is still an issue though.

Attached Files

BlackBerry Customer Statement July 17 2009.pdf (37.5 KB, 559 views)