BIS and PIN privacy with BES

I've seen some threads that sort of touch on this issue, but none that really answered my question.

I recently changed jobs and the new company uses BES. I realize that any e-mails sent or received from my work account could be read by IT or management.

What about PIN messages or personal accounts, such as a gmail account, that I added to the device via BIS?

I'm not looking for a legal answer here. I know the company owns the device and technically anything sent or received is theirs.

What I'm trying to determine is whether I can expect any level of privacy with PIN or personal e-mails. Just good to know where I stand before sending messages to or from my wife or friends that I wouldn't necessarily want supervisors reading.

Thanks, and Happy New Year.

http://forums.crackberry.com/f2/what...onitor-126883/

You've already agreed that since your company owns and supplies the phone you have NO expectation of privacy for any and all activities performed on your device. :-) This applies not only work emails but to ANY activity whether performed through BES or not.

With that said, it's my understanding that BES cannot "see" BIS, PIN or BBM messages. However, your company has the right, at any time, to review what's on your phone by physically inspecting it.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

They can see pins...
Can a BES administrator read my PIN and/or SMS messages and see my phone call logs?
Yes, if the BES is version 4.1 or newer and the device is o/s code 4.1 or later.

• Starting with BES 4.1, the BES admin can log all PIN and SMS messages to the BES server, including the content of those messages.
• BlackBerry Messenger messages and conversations can also be audited by the BES administrator.
• In addition, the administrator can view all phone calls made/received to the device including date/time, number dialed, and the name of the person you are calling or who called you if that name is listed in your contact list.

Source: BES Users FAQ - BlackBerryFAQ

4 Options that can be used to Audit BBM Messages.

1. Disable BlackBerry Messenger: Leave blank or choose False. A blank entry defaults to a False value.
2. Messenger Audit Email Address: Type the email address that logging entries will be sent to. Leaving this value blank disables logging.
3. Messenger Audit UID: You can specify which service book is used to send BlackBerry Messenger logs by entering the unique identifier (UID) here. You can find a UID on a BlackBerry smartphone by going to Options > Advanced Options > Service Book. Select the desired service book and click View to see the UID. A blank value results in the first available encrypted message service being used.
4. Messenger Audit Report Interval: Specify, in hours, how often the BlackBerry Messenger application sends a new report if there is new data. A blank value results in the default 24 hours being used.
5. Messenger Audit Max Report Interval: Specify, in hours, how often the BlackBerry Messenger application sends a new report whether or not there is new data. A blank value results in the default 168 hours being used.

The best policy with any company-owned device (PC, smartphone, etc.) is to assume that anyone can read anything at any time. We have a policy in place that basically tells users there is no expectation of privacy of any sort on any equipment owned by the company. And it's in folks best interests to act accordingly.

For that very reason we dont allow anyone onto the BES with their own device, and block all third party apps, all non BES browsers, and just about everything else.

Originally Posted by Sith_Apprentice

For that very reason we dont allow anyone onto the BES with their own device, and block all third party apps, all non BES browsers, and just about everything else.

Which is why some of Us carry a second device....The only sure way of privacy.

Thanks for the updates and clarifications. Sounds like with BES 4.1 and higher, since PIN and BBM are explicity cited as configurable, ^^ the only thing not visible to BES is BIS messages? Of course, BIS could be disabled. Understand, I'm on BES and have no problem with my company seeing anything and everything I do.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

It's a work device you shouldn't be using it for personal communications anyway. If there is an IT audit and you were talking dirty to your gf from your BB they'll see it lol.

Originally Posted by jbeachy

Thanks for the updates and clarifications. Sounds like with BES 4.1 and higher, since PIN and BBM are explicity cited as configurable, ^^ the only thing not visible to BES is BIS messages? Of course, BIS could be disabled. Understand, I'm on BES and have no problem with my company seeing anything and everything I do.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

All BIS messages can be forced through the BES, and service books can also blocked, so you wont be able to receive BIS email either.

Originally Posted by Sith_Apprentice

All BIS messages can be forced through the BES, and service books can also blocked, so you wont be able to receive BIS email either.

Ok, so there we have it from a real-life BES Administrator: if you're on BES, your life's an open book with regard to what you do with yoyr BlackBerry! :-) Again, I'm completely ok with that.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Thanks to all for your insights and help.

For those who made comments like 'it's a company device, you should expect no privacy,' that's not what I was asking about. I stated that in the beginning. However, we are encouraged or told we can load personal e-mail accounts on the BB with BIS.

I wasn't questioning management/IT's right to monitor communications on a company-provided BB. I just wanted to know what the BES capabilities were. For example, now I won't use an e-mail account on my BB that I might use for job searches....and will tell my wife to be careful what she might write to me!

Thanks.

Originally Posted by brettl

Thanks to all for your insights and help.

For those who made comments like 'it's a company device, you should expect no privacy,' that's not what I was asking about. I stated that in the beginning. However, we are encouraged or told we can load personal e-mail accounts on the BB with BIS.<snip>
Thanks.

Yes, your first post made it clear you are not asking about the privacy issues. And yes, it is possible to load BIS accounts on a BES device. I have 3 personal accounts on my BES device because our company allows and even encourages it as a tradeoff for the expectation that the bb-carriers are relatively accessible at all times.

Each BIS account creates its own home screen maibox and all its messages are delivered there as well as the master mailbox. That can get to be overwhelming, so if your IT policy allows, you can d/l and install BES Mailbox from Empower BlackBerry HTML Email Viewer to create a new mailbox just for your BES mail. That's what I did and I'm happy as could be with my BES device. Of course, we have a very open IT BES policy at our company.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

yeah they can see ALOT. even who you call, when you call and how long the call is.

so if you tell them you were with a client for 4 hours on friday, they can see you were on the phone with your girlfriend for 5 hours instead lol