[BB10Millwright]

How are we certain that whoever BlackBerry will get to manufacture the upcoming devices, will not study and duplicate the coding in the software and introduce back doors or compromise the integrity of the software's security in general ?

If production of the handsets are outsourced, will the software be loaded on the handsets by the manufacturer or BlackBerry themselves ?

Posted from my Samsung Galaxy S7

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Chen said the security will be optional to begin with... I doubt that Indonesian Telecom was interested in BlackBerry for their security features.

But IF someone does fully license all of BlackBerry's security features, BlackBerry will be responsible for doing some testing.. and if you see large corporations and goverments buying them... then I would expect they are ok.

But honestly I'm not sure we are going to see anyone bother with it.

[BB-JAM215]

BlackBerry has already released the DTEK50 as the "most secure Android phone". It is made for them by TCL. BlackBerry wouldn't have outsource the manufacturing of the phone unless they knew how to keep their propriety software secure.

From what Chen has said recently, I would not be surprised to see both a BlackBerry "secure" version of the PKB Mercury phone and a plain Android version by TCL/Alcatel (or whoever).

[BB10Millwright]

It's going to be interesting to see how it all plays out for BlackBerry.

Posted from my Samsung Galaxy S7

[joeldf]

It would depend on where the software is loaded.

Is it loaded at the factory where the device is built?

Or, are the finished devices then shipped back to BlackBerry where they install the software and package them for the retail sellers?

Posted via CB10

[BB-JAM215]

It's going to be interesting to see how it all plays out for BlackBerry.

Even more interesting to see how it all plays out for us.

[BB-JAM215]

It would depend on where the software is loaded. Is it loaded at the factory where the device is built? Or, are the finished devices then shipped back to BlackBerry where they install the software and package them for the retail sellers?

My understanding from what Chen said is that BlackBerry will outsource manufacturing and distribution. BlackBerry could still be involved in loading their proprietary software during the manufacturing process if that is necessary.

[Richard Buckley]

It would depend on where the software is loaded.

Is it loaded at the factory where the device is built?

Or, are the finished devices then shipped back to BlackBerry where they install the software and package them for the retail sellers?

Posted via CB10

Three words "secure root of trust". A BlackBerry device will only load the signed OS. The OS probably validates the boot rom as well. That is why you could safely load a leaked auto loader you got from a sketchy Dropbox site by following a link posted anonymously on a fan message board.

LeapSTR100-2/10.3.2.2876

[eshropshire]

Three words "secure root of trust". A BlackBerry device will only load the signed OS. The OS probably validates the boot rom as well. That is why you could safely load a leaked auto loader you got from a sketchy Dropbox site by following a link posted anonymously on a fan message board.

LeapSTR100-2/10.3.2.2876

BlackBerry is licensing the software to the manufactures. The manufactures will be responsible to build, package, distribute, market, sell and support the phones. They will also be responsible to pay BlackBerry royalties.

[Richard Buckley]

BlackBerry is licensing the software to the manufactures. The manufactures will be responsible to build, package, distribute, market, sell and support the phones. They will also be responsible to pay BlackBerry royalties.

Do you have documentation of these details or is this based on your interpretation of a licencing agreement?

LeapSTR100-2/10.3.2.2876

[Uzi]

Do you have documentation of these details or is this based on your interpretation of a licencing agreement?

LeapSTR100-2/10.3.2.2876

From the earnings call transcript if I'm not mistaken

[melander]

Secure root of trust. So that locks the phone down to a particular android. But what keeps the core phone secure as with bb10 os, which was only produced by Blackberry?

[Richard Buckley]

Secure root of trust. So that locks the phone down to a particular android. But what keeps the core phone secure as with bb10 os, which was only produced by Blackberry?

I don't know specifically what BlackBerry does, but one effective technique that has been used is to do bi-directional validation through the boot chain.

Most people accept the simple situation where the Boot ROM validates the OS before handing over execution, then the OS validates applications before executing them. However it is possible for the validation to be bi-directional. The OS can validate the Boot ROM to ensure it has the proper credentials. Applying this to the BlackBerry outsourcing license deals; BlackBerry would retain control of their signing keys to sign the Boot ROM and the OS.

If this is not done and the licensees build their own Boot ROMs and OS images, and sign them with their own keys then they won't have the "BlackBerry root of trust". Some people may buy them but very few of their customers that rely on the root of trust would.

I read the descriptions of the two licensing deals in the earnings call transcripts. Not surprisingly there is nothing there that indicate any of the technical security details of how this will be handled. People need to stop jumping at shadows.

[BB10Millwright]

It is better to know than not know...

Posted from my Samsung Galaxy S7

[Richard Buckley]

On the other hand the licensing deal is for BlackBerry's version of Android. So no matter what happens, it can't be any worse than buying a regular Android phone from the same manufacturer.