Are BB Messenger conversations "discoverable" by the company?

**32secret** · 05-07-2009, 01:06 PM

We use BB devices at work, but I am one of the few that pays for my service myself. Most everyone else has a "work phone" and the company pays for their service, even if they did buy their own device (the company wouldn't pony up for Storms, so people had to buy the device itself). We use BIS, and they have unlimited data plans. My questions is this: are conversations I have with them on BBM on their "work phone" able to be retrieved and are they discoverable? It's my understanding that the messages are somewhere on the BB server, so if there was ever an issue, for whatever reason, can those messages be retrieved by the company? If I have to totally censor myself every time I want to send a message, I'm not sure it's worth the trouble. I work for a public entity, so I don't know if that makes a difference...

Thanks in advance for any info you may have.

**John Yester** · 05-07-2009, 01:10 PM

BIS- Nope

BES- Very well so.

**cnorton** · 05-07-2009, 01:17 PM

Just keep in mind the people with company phones are using company property and your company has right to have access to any of that data.

**32secret** · 05-07-2009, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by cnorton

Just keep in mind the people with company phones are using company property and your company has right to have access to any of that data.

What if they bought and paid for their own device, and the company is just paying for the service?

**32secret** · 05-07-2009, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by yester18

BIS- Nope

BES- Very well so.

Can you please elaborate on the "nope?" Is it because it's just not possible to retrieve it, or because it's not legally possible?

**Heresy** · 05-07-2009, 01:35 PM

BIS is a nope because bis is not run through their servers. Meaning its not possible.
BES doesnt matter who paid for what. If you are on their BES server then you device has an IT policy on it. Meaning they control your device remotely.

**crackgirly** · 05-07-2009, 01:38 PM

I'm just guessing but I would say there's a good chance that they could be retrieved. Just like messages on other chat programs. And if you work for the government, all of that info is available to the public, if they ask.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**cadsystems** · 05-07-2009, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by cnorton

Just keep in mind the people with company phones are using company property and your company has right to have access to any of that data.

I own my phone, it's on the company BES.

**tlsmith083** · 05-07-2009, 01:40 PM

I would think the BIS convos could be retrieved, but not without some effort and cost.

I would also think a BIS to BES convo could easily be retrieved.

**32secret** · 05-07-2009, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by rlp32

BIS is a nope because bis is not run through their servers. Meaning its not possible.
BES doesnt matter who paid for what. If you are on their BES server then you device has an IT policy on it. Meaning they control your device remotely.

Okay, so to play devil's advocate and go to the extreme...Can the messages be subpoenaed for a civil or criminal action?

**** And we're all on BIS because we use a third-party vendors' software to push the company emails to our devices. ****

**cadsystems** · 05-07-2009, 01:41 PM

It's more fun just to look through the device once the user returns it for a new device. Amazing what some people will leave on there.

"Like OMG he's is such a good kisser. LOL"

**32secret** · 05-07-2009, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by cadsystems

It's more fun just to look through the device once the user returns it for a new device. Amazing what some people will leave on there.

"Like OMG he's is such a good kisser. LOL"

Ha ha! Yeah, I can only imagine....

**mustang02** · 05-07-2009, 01:44 PM

Yep BES admins can see what you're sending. Prime example of why I don't connect my BB to my work BES.

**cadsystems** · 05-07-2009, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by 32secret

Okay, so to play devil's advocate and go to the extreme...Can the messages be subpoenaed for a civil or criminal action?

**** And we're all on BIS because we use a third-party vendors' software to push the company emails to our devices. ****

Is your last name "Madeoff" ?

**Heresy** · 05-07-2009, 01:47 PM

Just because you use a third parties vendor software doesnt mean your arent on a BES. You can be on a BES account. Easiest way to explain the difference would be BES has wireless reconciliation and full folder access while BIS has one way sync (for the most part yes I know IMAP yahoo does it both ways). Answer in short to the advocate thing. Yes they can be subpoenaed on either one. Been there done that. Got the nice T-shirt to prove it.

**32secret** · 05-07-2009, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by cadsystems

Is your last name "Madeoff" ?

Ha ha!

**mars246** · 05-07-2009, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by cadsystems

I own my phone, it's on the company BES.

The company is paying for bandwidth to support blackberry's and support for the BES. People bring this up all the time. If you're on a company BES just assume anything you do will be logged.

**Tlynnsmith** · 05-07-2009, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by 32secret

What if they bought and paid for their own device, and the company is just paying for the service?

It doesn't matter who bought the phone, because a phone has to have service, to work. So, if your phone is BES, then the company has access to what goes in and out, because they "power" the phone.

**fwcmcse** · 05-07-2009, 01:53 PM

Rule of thumb for ALL Internet communications: it's not secure, and it's not secret. Anything sent across the Internet should be treated as non-confidential. I work as a Network Administrator and have had my share of bad meetings with employees who used company email/phones for reasons that no one wants to have to sit through and discuss.

Fredrick

**cadsystems** · 05-07-2009, 02:02 PM

Monitoring messages that users send from their BlackBerry devices

If your corporate IT policy requires you to monitor messages, set a blind carbon copy (BCC) address to retain a copy of all messages that users send from their BlackBerry devices.

Or

Monitor messages transmitted to and from a BlackBerry device.
In the PIN field, type the PIN of the BlackBerry device to monitor. If you want to monitor multiple BlackBerry devices, use commas to separate PINs.

**32secret** · 05-07-2009, 02:04 PM

Okay, now one of the IT guys tells me that we don't use "any" BB service (BES or BIS) and that we use the Internet connection to push the email to the phones using third-party software. (Does that make sense?) So...yes, I understand the whole "nothing is private thing, but now my curiosity is piqued - can you use BBM without having "any" BB service?

**jackie treehorn** · 05-07-2009, 02:06 PM

you have to have a bb data plan to run bbm

**Heresy** · 05-07-2009, 02:06 PM

You have BIS. If you dont have that then you wont have email....period.

**32secret** · 05-07-2009, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by rlp32

You have BIS. If you dont have that then you wont have email....period.

Thanks. Glad to have a definitive answer on that, cuz the IT guys didn't seems so sure...

**Tlynnsmith** · 05-07-2009, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by fwcmcse

Rule of thumb for ALL Internet communications: it's not secure, and it's not secret. Anything sent across the Internet should be treated as non-confidential. I work as a Network Administrator and have had my share of bad meetings with employees who used company email/phones for reasons that no one wants to have to sit through and discuss.

Fredrick

That's the bottom line. Treat all communication as "open" and if you think that way, you'll be fine. So, if you don't want it found out by company personnel, don't use the company powered device.