BlackBerries May Be Used in DDOS Attacks

[+Kardboard+]

Oh my.

RIM official warns of ‘rogue' smart phones

Research In Motion Ltd.'s security chief warns that hackers could one day turn ordinary smart phones into “rogue” devices to attack major wireless networks. Scott Totzke, RIM's vice-president of BlackBerry security, said hackers could use smart phones to target wireless carriers using a technique similar to one used in assaults that slowed Internet traffic in the United States and South Korea in July. In what is known as a distributed denial of service, or a DDOS attack, criminals use phone signals to order tens of thousands computers to contact a targeted site repeatedly, slowing it or eventually crashing it. Mr. Totzke said a technique involving data packets might be used to bring down a wireless network, though hackers might accomplish that using a relatively small number of smart phones. “I think that's an area of concern,” he said in an interview.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1368297/

What do you BlackBerry users think? I don't have enough experience with them to form a proper opinion, but if it's from the mouth of a Waterloo bigshot, I'd be concerned.

[tiger_handheld]

BB is supposed to be THE most secure smartphone out there. so i dont see this happening.

why do all gov't shmucks use it? it is said that PIN messaging never leaves a copy of the message on any server, unlike regular sms.

[TekDragon]

I think it is something to be of concern about. No system is every 100% full proof, and eventually it may be compromised. That being said, I see something like the iPhone platform being compromised before a BB just for the iPhone being the majority of a *single* device out there as a smart phone.

[+Kardboard+]

Originally Posted by tiger_handheld

why do all gov't shmucks use it?

Government shmucks. ALL government shmucks.

You put two and two together.