While I have always been against hardware manufactures altering operating systems, this story from yesterday takes the cake. As is typical, cell phone manufactures customize the images that their customers use. Usually this is just adding a few basic applications to the devices and plastering their name all over the place. For one cellular carrier this was apparently not enough.
Etisalat of the United Arab Emirates based in Abu Dhabi, sent a text message to their BlackBerry customers asking them to click on a link and install software updates. The problem with these “updates” is that the software was actually a SpyWare application. “Independent sources have concluded that it is possible that the installed software could … enable unauthorized access to private or confidential information stored on the user’s smart phone,” Research In Motion, makes of the BlackBerry, said in a statement.
This is a perfect example of why carriers should not be allowed to modify the operating system on cellular devices. Devices such as BlackBerrys are used for businesses and as such contain a lot of private information. This makes them a very attractive target for stealing valuable information and identities.
My suggestion to everyone concerned with their data is to only accept OS updates from its manufacture as they have a lot more to lose if they do something like this.
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