Beware of ToDus: You Might Be Installing a Spy on Your Phone

The Cuban Telecommunications Company (ETECSA) announced on Friday a series of new measures that significantly restrict the use of the Cuban peso (CUP) for mobile recharges while encouraging data packages in U.S. dollars. In response, ETECSA officials have been advocating for national browsing and platforms like ToDus, email, and other educational tools, which are advertised as "data-free."

However, ToDus, often referred to as the Cuban WhatsApp and developed by the University of Informatics Sciences of Cuba, may serve as a surveillance tool right on your phone. While its functionality resembles that of any other messaging app, it requires a Cuban phone line for verification. In an effort to boost its adoption, ETECSA has promised users that no data charges will be incurred when using the app, suggesting that sending messages or photos is a free service.

The underlying motive might be state surveillance. Just as with phone calls, SMS, web browsing, or emails, communications via this platform are potentially accessible for scrutiny by the authorities. Although many use the app for trivial messaging, it's crucial to restrict the app's access to your phone's camera, microphone, files, and other private areas.

Privacy Concerns and Legal Ambiguities

On the ToDus website, under the terms and conditions section, it states: "We will not share User data with third parties beyond what the law permits." This clause's vagueness leaves room for interpretation regarding the legal boundaries.

Yadier Perdomo, the director of networks at the University of Informatics Sciences, claimed that messages are encrypted and not stored on servers, only on the sender's and receiver's phones. Yet, a source within the university contradicted this, indicating that all information can indeed be archived and possibly utilized later. "Records, traces, connection times, and user activities are stored on the servers," the source explained.