[Homo Erectus]

Research In Motion said a U.S. federal agency, which recently outlined plans to move away from BlackBerry in favor of Apple Inc's iPhone, is now set to begin testing RIM's new BlackBerry 10 platform and devices.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), will early next year begin a pilot program on RIM's new line of BlackBerry 10 smartphones and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 (BES 10), which allows corporations and government users to run the new devices on their networks, a RIM spokeswoman said late on Wednesday.

The news, which comes just as shares of the embattled company rallied to their highest close in seven months, signals that RIM's BlackBerry 10 platform is gaining some traction ahead of its official launch next month.

RIM, a one-time pioneer in the smartphone industry, has lost market share in recent years to the iPhone and devices powered by Google Inc's market-leading Android operating system, even among the business audience who once used BlackBerry devices exclusively.

Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM is now seeking to persuade both corporations and government users to stick with its smartphones, which have long been valued for their strong security features. It promises that its new line of devices, which will be powered by the BlackBerry 10 operating system, will be both smoother and faster than previous BlackBerry phones.

RIM is betting that these new devices - to be launched on January 30 - will revive its fortunes. But that may well depend to a large extent on the response from enterprise customers, many of whom have recently begun to flee to rival platforms.

ICE is one such example. The agency, in October, announced plans to end a long relationship with RIM, stating that its now aging line-up of BlackBerry devices could "no longer meet the mobile technology needs of the agency.

At the time, ICE outlined intentions to buy iPhones for more than 17,600 employees. It is not immediately clear whether the agency plans to revisit this plan or whether its intends to use RIM's new BES 10 platform to manage both iPhones and BlackBerry devices. A spokeswoman for the agency was not immediately able to comment on the pilot program or the agency's plans.

SHARES SURGE

The news comes soon after yet another rally in RIM shares on Wednesday, after Eric Jackson - a long-time bear on RIM's stock - penned an opinion piece on his now bullish stance on the company.

Jackson, the founder of Ironfire Capital, in his piece, said parallels drawn by some analysts between RIM and its now-defunct rival Palm are flawed, as Palm never had the kind of installed subscriber base that RIM enjoys.

In his article, published on Wednesday on the TheStreet.com, Jackson contends that RIM's new BlackBerry 10 devices have much better odds of success than Palm's Pre device, which failed to capture a following despite positive reviews on the device and its operating system.

Jackson, who was short RIM's stock for an extended period, argues that the positive sentiment building in RIM's stock ahead of the launch of the make-or-break line of devices is unlikely to dissipate in a hurry, as a large portion of RIM's 80 million subscribers are likely to upgrade to BB10 when the new devices are launched. Jackson said he now has a long position in RIM.

Shares in the company rose 5.6 percent to close at $13.31 on the Nasdaq - their highest close since May 1. Its Toronto-listed shares rose 5.8 percent to close at C$13.14.

The stock has more than doubled in price since September 24, when the shares were trading slightly above the $6 level in both New York and Toronto. The wave of optimism around BB10 has in recent weeks been bolstered by a number of analyst upgrades on the stock.

U.S. federal agency to test RIM's BlackBerry 10 - Yahoo! Finance

[Superfly_FR]

[News] US Govt Agency to eval BB10 (NYTIMES)

[mrfreetruth]

Oh no....more bad new for you RIM haters . Looks like what most of us blackberry fans were saying that it wasn't a done deal for the US federal agency to switch to iphones. I always thought it was hedge fund propaganda to scare investors to either sell or not buy RIMM shares. Remember that news came out just when RIM was just about to break $8.20 mark which would signal a run for RIMM into the $10-11 range. It was PERFECT timing for that misleading news bit to hit.

[onvisa]

I don't think the US Governement know what they are doing, like i said before, its a few people that want to use the iphone and pressuring there boss to switch to iphone because they have more app games so the can play during working hours.

[RubberChicken76]

Strangely, a lot of the press outlets who reported the first story haven't mentioned the second ...

[onvisa]

Strangely, a lot of the press outlets who reported the first story haven't mentioned the second ...

Why would they, lol

[sleepngbear]

If ICE leaving BlackBerry was a big deal, then ICE coming back is huge. All it takes is one like this to get a whole bunch of others that might be on the fence to sit tight. The news just keeps getting better.

[bungaboy]

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to Launch BlackBerry 10 Pilot Program

Thursday, December 13, 2012


WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Dec. 13, 2012) - Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) announced today that it will begin a pilot program with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the new BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10 mobile enterprise management solution and BlackBerry® 10 smartphones in early 2013. ICE will be among the first government organizations to pilot the new BlackBerry 10 solution.

"ICE has been a valued BlackBerry customer for years, and our commitment to government agencies has influenced the development of the BlackBerry 10 platform." said Scott Totzke, Senior Vice President, BlackBerry Security, Research In Motion. "Along with providing workers with secure access to behind-the-firewall confidential information, BlackBerry 10 can help organizations fully leverage the potential of mobile technology to offer new services, improve service delivery and increase organizational productivity. We look forward to sharing more features of the BlackBerry 10 platform at our global launch event on January 30."

RIM recently announced that the BlackBerry 10 platform has received FIPS 140-2 certification ahead of launch. The certification enables government agencies to deploy BlackBerry 10 smartphones and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 from the day of launch. RIM first introduced mobile device management solutions more than a decade ago and continues to be a global leader in providing mobility solutions to government agencies.

[bungaboy]

Oh no....more bad new for you RIM haters . Looks like what most of us blackberry fans were saying that it wasn't a done deal for the US federal agency to switch to iphones. I always thought it was hedge fund propaganda to scare investors to either sell or not buy RIMM shares. Remember that news came out just when RIM was just about to break $8.20 mark which would signal a run for RIMM into the $10-11 range. It was PERFECT timing for that misleading news bit to hit.

Is it possible to name them publically on here and then put them in the CrackBerry "stockades" in the Town centre so they can be publically trashed?

There are a couple of dozen candidates here I can think of as being likely candidates.

[qbnkelt]

Specific agencies HAVE gone to iPhone. Some HAVE gone Android.
Some agencies will not move from BB.
Agencies will very likely follow the path of running pilots before switching to BB10. It will be a detailed process for the move.
I just checked contracts but haven't seen their pilot.

Sent from my SEXY HOT RED SGIII using Tapatalk 2

[BergerKing]

Is it possible to name them publically on here and then put them in the CrackBerry "stockades" in the Town centre so they can be publically trashed?

There are a couple of dozen candidates here I can think of as being likely candidates.

Really? So few? You must try harder. ...

[kraski]

RIM recently announced that the BlackBerry 10 platform has received FIPS 140-2 certification ahead of launch. The certification enables government agencies to deploy BlackBerry 10 smartphones and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 from the day of launch. RIM first introduced mobile device management solutions more than a decade ago and continues to be a global leader in providing mobility solutions to government agencies.

That's a paragraph many have ignored in this thread. At the time that ICE was planning on switching some of its people to iPhones, there were several good reasons for it.

1) OS6 and OS7 devices had an unknown, but impending EOL because of BB10. And BB10 release had been pushed back from originally planned dates. Would it make sense to invest in phones that might be outdated within months of deployment? And could they safely plan around an OS and a set of phones whose release shifted almost as much as the sands of the Sahara?

2) At the time, BB10 was not FIPS certified. From the number of units involved, the iPhones may only have been intended for those who didn't need secure communications.

There's nothing to gloat about. Circumstances weren't right to go Blackberry then, but that's changed. So, ICE will see if BB10 fits their needs. Partly because there's now a more solid release time. Partly because there's certification, which gives BB10 something iOS doesn't offer. And, I think, partly because there's recognition of an existing relationship.

[Superfly_FR]

2) At the time, BB10 was not FIPS certified. From the number of units involved, the iPhones may only have been intended for those who didn't need secure communications.

But, besides Blackberry, what mobile device brand is FIPS certified ? (I mean as a regular and update-able OS, not a specific bundle like the experimental Android)

[FreeJACLive]

The FIPS 140-2 certification is an ace in the hole for RIM. People should really question why after all this time has the iPhone not been certified?

[Superfly_FR]

Some more details here
RIM gets its groove back with BlackBerry 10 - The Buzz - Investment and Stock Market News

[bungaboy]

That's a paragraph many have ignored in this thread. At the time that ICE was planning on switching some of its people to iPhones, there were several good reasons for it.

1) OS6 and OS7 devices had an unknown, but impending EOL because of BB10. And BB10 release had been pushed back from originally planned dates. Would it make sense to invest in phones that might be outdated within months of deployment? And could they safely plan around an OS and a set of phones whose release shifted almost as much as the sands of the Sahara?

2) At the time, BB10 was not FIPS certified. From the number of units involved, the iPhones may only have been intended for those who didn't need secure communications.

There's nothing to gloat about. Circumstances weren't right to go Blackberry then, but that's changed. So, ICE will see if BB10 fits their needs. Partly because there's now a more solid release time. Partly because there's certification, which gives BB10 something iOS doesn't offer. And, I think, partly because there's recognition of an existing relationship.

Well, if you will forgive me and permit me. I am going to gloat. A BIG bunch of gloat to be exact. No based on this one item. Based on BB10, QNX and where I see RIM heading.

21734293.jpg

[vtpmt81]

I don't think the US Governement know what they are doing, like i said before, its a few people that want to use the iphone and pressuring there boss to switch to iphone because they have more app games so the can play during working hours.

You might be right but most government phones are locked down anyways. I think RIM's Blackberry Balance program intrigued them plus the Government trusts RIM when it comes to security. This is good news - my guess is that they will allow employees to use BB10 devices as long they can't be rooted.

[kraski]

But, besides Blackberry, what mobile device brand is FIPS certified ? (I mean as a regular and update-able OS, not a specific bundle like the experimental Android)

IIRC, in a similar discussion, when BB10 wasn't certified, I believe someone had a link to certification for the Samsung Galaxy S2. Of course, any OS upgrade since then would need certification if the kernel changed.

[qbnkelt]

Validated 140-1 and 140-2 Cryptographic Modules



1648

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
416, Maetan 3-Dong Youngton Gu
Suwon, Gyeonggi 152-848
South Korea

-Ross Choi
TEL: 972-761-7628

-Bumhan Kim
TEL: +82-10-4800-6711

CST Lab: NVLAP 200658-0


Samsung Kernel Crypto API Cryptographic Module
(Software Versions: LK2.6.35.7_AGB_v1.2 and LK2.6.36.3_AHC_v1.2)

(When operated in FIPS mode and only on the specific platforms specified on the reverse)


Validated to FIPS 140-2
Security Policy

Consolidated Validation Certificate

Vendor Product Link
Software 12/14/2011 Overall Level: 1
-EMI/EMC: Level 3
-Design Assurance: Level 3

-Operational Environment: Tested as meeting Level 1 with Android Gingerbread w/ Linux kernel v.2.6.35.7 (Galaxy S2 U1); Android Honeycomb w/ Linux kernel v.2.6.36.3 (P4 LTE, P4 WiFi) (single-user mode)

-FIPS-approved algorithms: AES (Certs. #1732 and #1733); SHS (Certs. #1516 and #1517); RNG (Certs. #921 and #922); Triple-DES (Certs. #1120 and #1121); HMAC (Certs. #1008 and #1009)

-Other algorithms: DES; AES-CTS (non-compliant); Triple-DES (CTR; non-compliant); Twofish; AEAD; MD5; ansi_cprng; ARC4; GHASH (GCM hash)
Multi-chip standalone

"Provides general purpose cryptographic services to services in the Linux kernel and user-space applications, intended to protect data in transit and at rest."

[lnichols]

Validated 140-1 and 140-2 Cryptographic Modules



1648

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
416, Maetan 3-Dong Youngton Gu
Suwon, Gyeonggi 152-848
South Korea

-Ross Choi
TEL: 972-761-7628

-Bumhan Kim
TEL: +82-10-4800-6711

CST Lab: NVLAP 200658-0


Samsung Kernel Crypto API Cryptographic Module
(Software Versions: LK2.6.35.7_AGB_v1.2 and LK2.6.36.3_AHC_v1.2)

(When operated in FIPS mode and only on the specific platforms specified on the reverse)


Validated to FIPS 140-2
Security Policy

Consolidated Validation Certificate

Vendor Product Link
Software 12/14/2011 Overall Level: 1
-EMI/EMC: Level 3
-Design Assurance: Level 3

-Operational Environment: Tested as meeting Level 1 with Android Gingerbread w/ Linux kernel v.2.6.35.7 (Galaxy S2 U1); Android Honeycomb w/ Linux kernel v.2.6.36.3 (P4 LTE, P4 WiFi) (single-user mode)

-FIPS-approved algorithms: AES (Certs. #1732 and #1733); SHS (Certs. #1516 and #1517); RNG (Certs. #921 and #922); Triple-DES (Certs. #1120 and #1121); HMAC (Certs. #1008 and #1009)

-Other algorithms: DES; AES-CTS (non-compliant); Triple-DES (CTR; non-compliant); Twofish; AEAD; MD5; ansi_cprng; ARC4; GHASH (GCM hash)
Multi-chip standalone

"Provides general purpose cryptographic services to services in the Linux kernel and user-space applications, intended to protect data in transit and at rest."

They have newer ones "In Review" now too.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...,d.dmQ&cad=rja

Samsung FIPS BC for Mobile Phone and Tablet
Samsung FIPS Cryptographic Module for Mobile Phones
Samsung Key Management Module
Samsung OpenSSL

Probably for GS3 and/or Note2 and/or Note 10.1. Very narrow approval parameters on the one you have listed above, and I'm expecting the same from whatever they get through on the stuff in review now too. I'll be interested to read the security policies on these new ones when they are approved and published and if they are getting the existing software approved, or the OTA that they are rolling out now approved.