Egyptian government taps emergency network for mass pro-Mubarak texts

The most interesting aspect of the text flooding, Infosecurity notes, is that users of Etisalat and Mobinil – the other two networks – have apparently not received the pro-presidency messages, raising the question of whether the other networks have blocked the text message feed.

According to the UPI newswire, the Egyptian cellular networks were switched back on, on Wednesday of this week and, whilst Egyptian users have welcomed the resumption of service, some sources are suggesting the move was less than altruistic, since it set the scene for a mass pro-presidency text message flood.

The Wired newswire says that Vodafone Egypt could not stop the flood of text messages and is less than happy about the situation.

Wired cites a Vodafone statement as saying that "since the start of the protests, the regime has used emergency authorities to send messages to the people of Egypt."

"Rival providers Mobinil and Etisalat are subject to the same authority. None of the messages are scripted by any of the mobile network operators and we do not have the ability to respond to the authorities on their content", says the statement.

"Vodafone Group has protested to the authorities that the current situation regarding these messages is unacceptable. We have made clear that all messages should be transparent and clearly attributable to the originator", the statement reportedly added.

Reporter Spencer Ackerman in his report on the apparent Mubarak-Vodafone spat, says that, since Thursday morning, whilst the Vodafone Egypt voice and data services are is operational text messaging is now down.

Infosecurity notes that this suggests that Vodafone has turned off its text messaging facilities in the face of being unable to stop the pro-government texts.

Ackerman goes on to quote David Wolman, a reporter on the ground in Cairo, as saying that Mandi Fahmy, a local journalist and translator, reported that she received the following message from Vodafone, sent on February 1:

"Egypt is above all so preserve it."

Another message, this one on February 2: "To each mother-father-sister-brother, to every honest citizen. Preserve this country because the homeland stays forever."

Fahmy, says Ackerman, was quick to add that she can not verify what, or whom, was behind these messages, but she finds them worrisome.

"I can't claim the regime is doing this because the wording of the messages is so careful", she is quoted as saying.

"I am wondering where they got our numbers, though. If it is the government, she says, it's certainly well within the realm of possibility, considering all that has been happening."

What’s hot on Infosecurity Magazine?