DUBAI: Netizens were yesterday rattled after an SMS message circulated on social media about a Dhs5,000 fine imposed on someone found by authorities using “illegal VPN.”
As the dust of confusion cleared, The Filipino Times was able to established from various official sources including the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), Etisalat and Dubai Police that the post was fake.
With access to Skype blocked, and two VoIP-based apps in place, albeit at monthly fees of Dh50 and Dh100, tech-savvy Filipinos say they were considering “alternatives.”
One is by using messenger video call with virtual private network (VPN), which is available in Play Store and can be installed to have you connected to a different internet protocol (IP), or address, from outside the UAE. It also unblocks sites not allowed in the UAE.
Another is the iMO instant messenger app that provides free high-quality video and voice calls.
Irene Corpuz, head of information security at an Abu Dhabi government entity, said VPN users violate provisions of UAE Cybercrime Law No 5 of 2012, which states that using a fraudulent IP address for the purpose of committing a crime or preventing its discovery is illegal. Punishment includes fines of at least Dhs50,000, a jail term and deportation.
The UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) also has a policy that prohibits bypassing blocked sites.
Corpuz said there are unsecured and unreliable VPN apps that may have embedded Malware virus or hidden tracking that can allow a third party to listen and watch while you are having Skype chats.
Ronald Precilla, IT manager and lead security architect at a major Abu Dhabi Bank, for his part, said unauthorized use of VPNs “will lead you to more complications on Cybercrime Laws and TRA policy.”
“As we all know, VPNs can view restricted sites and bypass all the web security controls that Etisalat or DU imposes. Having said that, this will open more complications than opening a single application like Skype. Keep in mind that all user’s traffic are filtered and logged centrally. So, anytime within the boundary of laws, they can see and retrieve our web activities,” Precilla explained.
Precilla said there is danger when you use other proxy or VPN technology that bypasses controls implemented by the UAE’s internet service providers.
Filipinos, the tech-savvy bunch that they are, would most probably keep searching for similar VoIP apps or proxies in the internet soon as the ones they are using are blocked by the UAE government.
This, in an apparent effort to skirt the monthly fees for using the legally available BOTIM and C’me.
But, Precilla said, it’s a choice between being slapped with legal actions or abiding by the law.
(JD)
