[beowulf101]

I like the app permissions in BlackBerry, and the control I have over the OS, as well as features to encrypt the device and media card, but I just read this:

BlackBerry Ltd smartphones: Just how secure are they, really? | Financial Post

I'm all for law enforcement being able to do their jobs, despite opposing the dragnet style of surveillance the world is being subjected to. I do feel that BlackBerry has allowed the idea of BlackBerry Messenger being some sort of super secure service hasn't really been tackled and properly represented to consumer customers. If don't have a gripe with it being as it is, and I'm a consumer user with a Passport, but should BlackBerry be a bit more clear on what BlackBerry Messenger really offers to customers without the backend of BES?

Posted via CB10

[jope28]

Agreed that some clarification would be good.
But the perception of BlackBerry security hasn't helped them the past few years with consumers anyway.
Now other platforms are encrypting things by default and are creeping up with having a mindshare of perceived security as well.

BBM protected should be an easy "in-app" purchase. There are solutions on other platforms that encrypt with private keys. The problem is that they're clunky to use. Simple and user friendly is key for consumers.
If they crack that nut and make it super easy for consumers to opt in to having that type of real security, I'd think many of us would gladly pay (not saying I have top top secrets, but there might be a contact or two that one would have work related conversations that one would feel more at ease knowing that the conversation is truly private and that authorities or anyone won't have it sooooo easy).

They also haven't made it clear how secure BBM Voice is (or isn't). It would be good to know if law enforcement could do it on their own, or if they would need BlackBerry to help them tap into it.


Frosty white Q10/10.3.1.2072

[Richard Buckley]

Agreed that some clarification would be good.
But the perception of BlackBerry security hasn't helped them the past few years with consumers anyway.
Now other platforms are encrypting things by default and are creeping up with having a mindshare of perceived security as well.

BBM protected should be an easy "in-app" purchase. There are solutions on other platforms that encrypt with private keys. The problem is that they're clunky to use. Simple and user friendly is key for consumers.
If they crack that nut and make it super easy for consumers to opt in to having that type of real security, I'd think many of us would gladly pay (not saying I have top top secrets, but there might be a contact or two that one would have work related conversations that one would feel more at ease knowing that the conversation is truly private and that authorities or anyone won't have it sooooo easy).

They also haven't made it clear how secure BBM Voice is (or isn't). It would be good to know if law enforcement could do it on their own, or if they would need BlackBerry to help them tap into it.


Frosty white Q10/10.3.1.2072

Here you have hit the nail on the head. Good encryption takes good key management. Apple with iMessage does a good job of making it easy for users to use the cryptography without any knowledge or even much work. The problem is that this means Apple could at any time arrange to decrypt the traffic because they manage the key creation and exchange.

Other utilities are more difficult to use, but may provide more security because they put the onus of key creation and management on the user.

BBM Protect allows the BES administration to control key creation and management, relieving the user of that task, and keeping the ability to decrypt traffic contained within the BES. Outside of the BES, BlackBerry or some other third party would have to take over the key management duties to keep the system easy to use. This would not be much of an improvement over current consumer BBM, at least on BB10, iOS and Android which uses TLS between the device and BlackBerry.