The United Arab Emirates on Saturday denied reports that a popular mobile application developed in the country was used for government spying.

Apple and Google removed the ToTok app from their marketplaces last week following a report claiming it allowed the UAE government to track users' conversations, movements and other details.

But the country's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said in a statement that UAE laws "prohibit any kind of data breach and unlawful interception".

It continued: "The TRA reaffirms that all certified telecommunications applications in the UAE are in compliance with these standards."

ToTok became popular by offering free calling and messaging to millions of users in countries like the UAE where internet calling services like Skype are blocked.

But US intelligence officials and a security researcher determined the app was being used by the UAE government for detailed surveillance, The New York Times reported on December 22.

Security researcher Patrick Wardle, who assisted the newspaper, said in a blog post that ToTok appeared to be part of a "mass surveillance operation", which "likely afforded in-depth insight in a large percentage of the country's population."

ToTok appeared to trick users of iPhones and Android devices into handing over access to their location and private data on their devices, Wardle said.

It was also promoted by what appeared to be fake reviews, he said.

Related Links
Cyberwar - Internet Security News - Systems and Policy Issues

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Von der Leyen sceptical on Huawei in Europe: report
Frankfurt Am Main (AFP) Dec 27, 2019
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen voiced scepticism Friday over involving Chinese tech giant Huawei in the rollout of Europe's 5G networks amid concerns its equipment could be used for spying by Beijing. Critics, led by Washington, say the firm is too close to Beijing and could by law be forced to hand over data to Chinese intelligence services. "If there's a risk that the data of civilians or companies can be tapped into on the basis of this law, then we can't accept that," von der ... read more