[The Big Picture]

So blackberry says this is a no compromise device combined with BlackBerry's heritage of privacy and security.

What can we surmise from all the blabber?

Many of us regular consumers don't care about the BES features but im sure what we'd like to know what privacy safeguards are there to ensure privacy?

The Priv will feature:

Grsecurity kernel hardening ( what does this effectively mean for privacy?)

BlackBerry safeguard ( a silent circle esque permissions manager?)

And most recently, BlackBerry DTEK (an intrusion monitor or a firewall of sorts? An anti virus like program?)


But what is not clear is how exactly do these features safeguard our privacy?

Blackphone 2 has included some nifty features to protect privacy and if BlackBerry wants to compete in this "secure" android arena I hope that the privacy protection features will outshine blackphone's at the very least.

Does anyone have more info?

How about BlackBerry guardian (checks apps for malware). BlackBerry Balance (chip level work and play space partitioning) and etc?

Posted via CB10

[AnimalPak200]

Guarding your privacy is more about awareness than hardening. For example, look at BB10, sure... it's 'secure' insofar as only OS releases signed by BlackBerry can be executed on the chipset, but... I can still install a variety of shady Android apps (and even Native ones) that send all sorts of info back and forth.

The most effective way to protect privacy is making the user aware of what they are disclosing, and allowing them to control it. If they chose to share their medical data with a health management app, then... no uber secure phone will (or should) prevent that.

So hopefully BlackBerry finally strikes a good combination of security features that will be convenient enough so that most users will not just turn them off, and user awareness features that allow us to make informed decisions in a practical/user-friendly manner.

[BB-JAM215]

Yes, BlackBerry has more info, but they are not likely to release it until sometime in November.

Exactly what kind of security features are you looking for? Since you are a "regular consumer" why would you be so interested in the Blackphone which is aimed at a very specialize market?

The biggest issue when it comes to security and privacy is what you do with your phone, regardless of what features may or may not be built into it.

[The Big Picture]

http://www.ted.com/talks/glenn_green...rs?language=en

Why shouldn't a regular person be interested in privacy?

I'm not looking for a lecture here. I know what do to as best I can as a user to safeguard my privacy.

What I'm interested in what BlackBerry means when they say the Priv is secure and private.

As you know it's no secret that google android does make use of your data, ask Tim cook:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-DGB-37722

Not all phones and OSes are made equal as far as security and privacy are concerned.


Posted via CB10

[BB-JAM215]

Why shouldn't a regular person be interested in privacy? I'm not looking for a lecture here. I know what do to as best I can as a user to safeguard my privacy.

I think regular people should be interested in privacy too, but if it was a real concern to them, they wouldn't be on Facebook, and logged into Google, and whatever else they use day to day.

What I'm interested in what BlackBerry means when they say the Priv is secure and private.

BlackBerry uses those terms as part of it's marketing strategy to suggest that if you are interested in privacy and security, then you will be interested in the Priv. As John Chen has emphasized recently though, if you want real security, you need BES, which why BlackBerry still makes hardware -- to support sales of its device management and security software and services.

[The Big Picture]

I think regular people should be interested in privacy too, but if it was a real concern to them, they wouldn't be on Facebook, and logged into Google, and whatever else they use day to day.

I only use facebook when I'm ultra bored at work and it's not connected on my device. And even then I use an email specifically for facebook, privacy settings on max and I use a pseudonym and I don't post up anything I consider private. This is a never ending argument if we are going to get into it.

I stay away from anything google as a self rule.


BlackBerry uses those terms as part of it's marketing strategy to suggest that if you are interested in privacy and security, then you will be interested in the Priv. As John Chen has emphasized recently though, if you want real security, you need BES, which why BlackBerry still makes hardware -- to support sales of its device management and security software and services.

I'd like to hear more about how priv which means privacy/private is actually private. BES security is not really my concern. There's a difference between privacy and security although they tend to be related.



Posted via CB10

[TheAuthority]

Not sure what BlackBerry means, but I hope it means that the android os is prevented from leaking user device and media card data to google and elsewhere. Anyway, I will remain a Blackberry 10 user. Just speculating about the Priv's privacy.

[The Big Picture]

All the bragging about privacy and security with that ad but the proof is in the pudding.

Can BlackBerry really "secure" android? Or make it "private"

I really hope someone does a thorough android vulnerability test on the Priv since there are like a million bugs and hacks and insecurities on android.

http://www.cnet.com/news/every-andro...scovered-bugs/

This is also the reason why I get really pissed off when some one asks "is blackberry more secure than ios or android without BES/out of the box and etc?"

Well never heard of problems like these on BBOS when it was THE most used OS on the planet NOR BlackBerry 10.

If the Priv is vulnerable to all the typical things android is, despite the grsecurity kernel, blackberry safeguard, DTEK and etc I'm not buying it.

Posted via CB10

[ImBerryCurious]

You also didn't hear about Facebook back then either. And BB10 is so underused that no one would wanna waste time making a virus for it.

Posted via CB10

[The Big Picture]

You also didn't hear about Facebook back then either. And BB10 is so underused that no one would wanna waste time making a virus for it.

Posted via CB10

What has facebook got to do with anything? Ios doesn't have nearly as many vulnerabilities compared to android. And it's not viruses only I'm taking about.

Posted via CB10

[ImBerryCurious]

I just mean to say that technology has advanced since blackberry was popular. And since not very many people are using them now, there really is no way to know if someone could figure out how to exploit blackberry devices.

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[howarmat]

This is an android device first and foremost....you sign in with your google account and I am fairly certain that its going to have the same TOS from google as will all devices. There are some ways to limit what google obtains/uses but otherwise its not going to be different with the Priv. I don't really buy that Chen has "secured" android or that the phone is tons better with privacy but I do assume they have done some work on both fronts to make it better than 95% of the off the shelf androids

[The Big Picture]

This is an android device first and foremost....you sign in with your google account and I am fairly certain that its going to have the same TOS from google as will all devices. There are some ways to limit what google obtains/uses but otherwise its not going to be different with the Priv. I don't really buy that Chen has "secured" android or that the phone is tons better with privacy but I do assume they have done some work on both fronts to make it better than 95% of the off the shelf androids

Yeap. The question is how is it more private and secure. We'll see soon I guess. I just hope it's communicated properly to consumers.

Posted via CB10

[The Big Picture]

Yes, BlackBerry has more info, but they are not likely to release it until sometime in November.

Exactly what kind of security features are you looking for? Since you are a "regular consumer" why would you be so interested in the Blackphone which is aimed at a very specialize market?

The biggest issue when it comes to security and privacy is what you do with your phone, regardless of what features may or may not be built into it.

Btw blackphone is also marketed to regular consumers.

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/09/28/is-th...-iphone-6.html

Regular jo's should have a right to privacy.

Posted via CB10

[uncle_numpty]

It's android, so by definition it's not secure.

What I mean by that is Google extract/collect all sorts of personal information and it's not something you can opt out off or remove without disabling large chunks of android.

Google then sell the collected information to the highest bidder - it's a part of their business model - and very successfull at that.

[Tre Lawrence]

I

Google then sell the collected information to the highest bidder - it's a part of their business model - and very successfull at that.

Really? Are you sure?

I read the coolest fan fiction on here...

[Omnitech]

This is an android device first and foremost....you sign in with your google account and I am fairly certain that its going to have the same TOS from google as will all devices. There are some ways to limit what google obtains/uses but otherwise its not going to be different with the Priv. I don't really buy that Chen has "secured" android or that the phone is tons better with privacy but I do assume they have done some work on both fronts to make it better than 95% of the off the shelf androids

I certainly share your pessimism, as any device that is OHA-compliant is loaded with a massive amount of privacy-intruding snoopware that uploads everything you do to the Googleplex. This is Google's master plan, as they (for example) increasingly make it almost impossible for app developers to make apps that get wide distribution and functionality without linking to all of the snoopery Google/Android frameworks and services.

That's not to say that there are not ways to improve matters. BlackPhone's isolated VMs is one way, where you can put the snoopery junk in one VM and don't give it access to anything sensitive, but that's only one part of the pie, and it entails various usability compromises.

To a great extent, unless you are willing to put up with a number of serious functionality compromises, trying to secure an Android device is a bit like putting lipstick on a pig. And underneath it all, Google will always be trying more and more to increase the data they collect, working against those objectives at every turn.

[The Big Picture]

I certainly share your pessimism, as any device that is OHA-compliant is loaded with a massive amount of privacy-intruding snoopware that uploads everything you do to the Googleplex. This is Google's master plan, as they (for example) increasingly make it almost impossible for app developers to make apps that get wide distribution and functionality without linking to all of the snoopery Google/Android frameworks and services.

That's not to say that there are not ways to improve matters. BlackPhone's isolated VMs is one way, where you can put the snoopery junk in one VM and don't give it access to anything sensitive, but that's only one part of the pie, and it entails various usability compromises.

To a great extent, unless you are willing to put up with a number of serious functionality compromises, trying to secure an Android device is a bit like putting lipstick on a pig. And underneath it all, Google will always be trying more and more to increase the data they collect, working against those objectives at every turn.

Don't know where you've been but glad you're back.

Is blackphone's VM a chip level partitioning system like blackberry balance?

Posted via CB10

[Omnitech]

Welcome back anyways! Looking forward to your valuable and informative replies and posts.

Don't know where you've been but glad you're back.

Is blackphone's VM a chip level partitioning system like blackberry balance?

Thanks, and BTW - did you change your username recently? Perhaps it's just my feeble memory, not remembering..

Re: their partitioning system, I don't know all the technical details, but the big difference between them is that (AFAIK) you need to manage a BlackBerry with BES to use the partitioning feature. It's targeted at large organizations. The Blackphone allows users to setup partitioning however they want, no Big Brother I.T. department necessary.

(There is a "cloud" version of BES now, I'm not very familiar with its details, but there is a monthly charge involved.)

[The Big Picture]

Thanks, and BTW - did you change your username recently? Perhaps it's just my feeble memory, not remembering..

Re: their partitioning system, I don't know all the technical details, but the big difference between them is that (AFAIK) you need to manage a BlackBerry with BES to use the partitioning feature. It's targeted at large organizations. The Blackphone allows users to setup partitioning however they want, no Big Brother I.T. department necessary.

(There is a "cloud" version of BES now, I'm not very familiar with its details, but there is a monthly charge involved.)

Yes I was Q10nutter before and changed it when I changed to Z30 and then to a passport.

I'm not sure what to think about this whole BlackBerry android deal to be honest. I'm trying to find the silver lining.

Posted via CB10

[Omnitech]

Yes I was Q10nutter before and changed it when I changed to Z30 and then to a passport.

I'm not sure what to think about this whole BlackBerry android deal to be honest. I'm trying to find the silver lining.

Ah OK, I do remember that handle.

Yeah I'm not sure what to think either yet, though I'm leaning negative at this point based on what I do know.

That's still open to revision if, for example, BlackBerry reveals a really killer, amazingly well-thought-out and implemented security architecture for this device. But so far I'd give the likelihood of that being the case a fairly low probability, like 15%.

But even if they do a great technical job, then we need to look at the competitive/marketing side, and BlackBerry is outclassed from every angle there. It will be an uphill battle, any way you slice it.

[imz]

Google then sell the collected information to the highest bidder - it's a part of their business model - and very successfull at that.

On eBay with no reserve

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[Croberry1989]

If BlackBerry tells you how they are guarding your phone then they are actually putting your protection in danger. These things cannot be disclosed . They must remain secret for obvious reasons. :-P

Posted via CB10

[Croberry1989]

You also didn't hear about Facebook back then either. And BB10 is so underused that no one would wanna waste time making a virus for it.

Posted via CB10

And someone would REALLY "waste time" to break BlackBerry's protections because most government officials have BB's. At least the smart ones.

Posted via CB10

[the1]

Ah OK, I do remember that handle.

Yeah I'm not sure what to think either yet, though I'm leaning negative at this point based on what I do know.

That's still open to revision if, for example, BlackBerry reveals a really killer, amazingly well-thought-out and implemented security architecture for this device. But so far I'd give the likelihood of that being the case a fairly low probability, like 15%.

But even if they do a great technical job, then we need to look at the competitive/marketing side, and BlackBerry is outclassed from every angle there. It will be an uphill battle, any way you slice it.

This post sums on my view on it. You name the phone "Priv" while touting Google services as a selling point; pretty huge contradiction. Being someone who left the Android ecosystem for the reason of privacy, I'm not looking at this with rose colored glasses. Not to mention the fact they many believe that Android = $$$ when it is CLEARLY not the case, I will see how things play out as they come.