[pfluger]

There is an interesting article on the website of German's "Tagesschau". It talks about the "Crypto-Phone" that has been given to German government after the Merkel debacle. The government bought 2,500 of these phones at 2,000 EUR a piece. There is only a passing mention that the phone is a modified BlackBerry Z10.

The article basically boils down to these two points:

- No one is really using the phone because call setup and call quality are really bad and it is very difficult to operate. One representative said it ended up in her drawer. She wasn't even able to to demonstrate its use for the interview.

- The phones are not secure enough. The phone has only been given the lowest security clearance available in the government.

Overall not a good impression considering enterprise and government is supposed to be BlackBerry's future.

Kryptohandys im Bundestag kaum genutzt: "Ab in die Schublade" | tagesschau.de

[Granrey]

Too bad idk German.

Posted via CB10

[pfluger]

Too bad idk German.

Posted via CB10

Try Google Translate: https://translate.google.com/transla...tml&edit-text=

[The Big Picture]

Then why does Merkel use one?

iP5, iPad2, Q10, Z30, and soon passport!

[Man_apart]

Top lady using a BlackBerry. Smart woman.

From my ? phone.

[Ment]

Then why does Merkel use one?

iP5, iPad2, Q10, Z30, and soon passport!

The fear or being hacked twice I suppose..if its not easy to use many won't use it unless mandated to do so thats the gist of the article. Looks like BB and the German government still needs to do more work on it.

[The Big Picture]

The fear or being hacked twice I suppose..if its not easy to use many won't use it unless mandated to do so thats the gist of the article. Looks like BB and the German government still needs to do more work on it.

It's secusmart isn't it? Agreed that it's probably still a "work in progress"

iP5, iPad2, Q10, Z30, and soon passport!

[Prem WatsApp]

The fear or being hacked twice I suppose..if its not easy to use many won't use it unless mandated to do so thats the gist of the article. Looks like BB and the German government still needs to do more work on it.

"WhatsApp" mentality?

If it doesn't auto-match contacts (like WhatsApp vs. BBM) and work with not more than a single button (iPhone), it won't be used.

"I don't care", just like anyone on Android. These people have a national responsibility. Not using this taxpayer-supported equipment shows a certain lack of gratitude.

Some CrackBerry members seem to value their privacy more than these elected men and women (... and would love to use such a phone!).



? BlackBerry? I premdict the future's gonna be chenomenal! ?

[TGR1]

If they aren't using the secure phone they were provided then what phone are they using? And why is it allowed?

[Ment]

It's secusmart isn't it? Agreed that it's probably still a "work in progress"

iP5, iPad2, Q10, Z30, and soon passport!

Yes but securesmart. No doubt the contracts and implementation was underway before BB bought them but it up to them now.

"WhatsApp" mentality?

If it doesn't auto-match contacts (like WhatsApp vs. BBM) and work with not more than a single button (iPhone), it won't be used.

"I don't care", just like anyone on Android. These people have a national responsibility. Not using this taxpayer-supported equipment shows a certain lack of gratitude.

Some CrackBerry members seem to value their privacy more than these elected men and women (... and would love to use such a phone!).

Yes something like that.
My guess is that most of these phones were given to bureaucrats who don't handle highly classified info all the time so the time spent configuring for all their contacts who have Securesmart enabled phones and whatever authentication pairing is involved is too much of a hassle.

[glamrlama]

I am pretty certain that a video was posted as news here on CB showing secusmart in action. It looked very simple to me. Type in your secusmart PIN to make a call; it rings through to your contact and they type in their PIN. Call connects and you talk as normal. looked easy peasy to me.

[AlaJack]

I dunno but if/when the Germans invent a smart phone I'll be interested.

Posted via CB10

[Prem WatsApp]

I am pretty certain that a video was posted as news here on CB showing secusmart in action. It looked very simple to me. Type in your secusmart PIN to make a call; it rings through to your contact and they type in their PIN. Call connects and you talk as normal. looked easy peasy to me.

Yes, I remember, too.

Call quality has apparently been criticized. I reckon if you don't wanna use something, there are always plenty of excuses to find.

One of the posters on the linked websites even mentioned, this particular representative has now become ineligible for him and he won't vote for her anymore. She's letting $2000 worth of taxpayer-funded gear sit around idle because she apparently can't be bothered to use it or learn how to use it properly. :-)



? BlackBerry? I premdict the future's gonna be chenomenal! ?

[lurk_n_post_2000]

I wonder what kind of training was provided? In my experience one of the major roadblocks to the adoption of any new technology is lack of proper training.

Posted via CB10

[AlaJack]

Meanwhile at Android :
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...olice/?hpid=z1

Posted via CB10

[chalx]

One representative said it ended up in her drawer. She wasn't even able to to demonstrate its use for the interview.

- The phones are not secure enough. The phone has only been given the lowest security clearance available in the government.

I wold fire her and put her into jail. And other statement is BS because German PM is using one and she is not low ranked official.
Generally article smells like s***

[--TommesJay--]

According to the article call initiation is unreliable and call quality is miserable. On top it only works from Krypto to Krypto device and far not all contacts use these devices so they still rely on their private phones.

Posted via CB10

[Poirots Progeny]

The problem is that secusmart works point to point. If you're calling someone that isn't on the same system: Nothing. I can see why it may be a problem for some. Private, encrypted mail servers, device encryption and all that: That's not just the province of BlackBerry alone (though arguably their implementation is the best) and android/apple moving to full encryption means that people can use the phone they want to use. For secure encrypted calls, make use of the provided secusmart. Otherwise it's not that vital.



It was never explained how Mercal was "hacked" - was her device physically messed with, did she have no password, or the name of her dog or something, did they get into her email another way and the mobile device is just conjecture, did someone ram raid their servers etc etc.



The mobile device is not the only hard point here. The entire system needs to be set up. It is a given that if you're using a phone, the guy on the other end may not be on the system. Then why use that phone, if its entire premise for existing (encrypted calls) is void - and no, not everyone is going to run out and buy these things. Especially of you're calling the attache, in another embassy etc. And why put up with call quality being poor. Other devices can be hardened also.



And an important point in all this is to note that the other ecosystems are all going the hardened encryption route. They all want to get into the space BlackBerry is losing. The old adage that BB is the only kid on the block is losing ground, which is why it is vital BB continue shoring up their position as leader. Everyone is now looking to take their place.

Sent using tapatalk!

[flacko]

.....

- The phones are not secure enough. The phone has only been given the lowest security clearance available in the government.

The comment about "not secure enough" does not make sense. BlackBerry 10 was the first phone cleared for Restricted use by NATO! Germany is part of NATO. Either the article is another BlackBerry hatchet job piece or the person being quoted has no clue what they are talking about.

http://m.crackberry.com/blackberry-1...communications

[Poirots Progeny]

The comment about "not secure enough" does not make sense. BlackBerry 10 was the first phone cleared for Restricted use by NATO! Germany is part of NATO. Either the article is another BlackBerry hatchet job piece or the person being quoted has no clue what they are talking about.

http://m.crackberry.com/blackberry-1...communications

Yes, that is odd. But again, all the security in the world is only so good if BOTH parties are using it. Internal security accounts for a lot, but where outside agencies are concerned - well one would hope everyone is using BB but that is not the case, especially with the byod policies some institutions are implementing. Ugh lol

[Phi Nguyen]

The comment about "not secure enough" does not make sense. BlackBerry 10 was the first phone cleared for Restricted use by NATO! Germany is part of NATO. Either the article is another BlackBerry hatchet job piece or the person being quoted has no clue what they are talking about.

http://m.crackberry.com/blackberry-1...communications

NATO only applies to the military portion not governments and that doesn't stop individual armies from using whatever they need
Only NATO operations

Each army has their own sovereignty however when used in UN or coalition or an alliance like NATO or Warsaw then they fall under the alliance's rules as long as they are assigned there


Governments will always have their own rules that's their right

Posted via CrackBerry App

[darkehawke]

"WhatsApp" mentality?

If it doesn't auto-match contacts (like WhatsApp vs. BBM) and work with not more than a single button (iPhone), it won't be used.

"I don't care", just like anyone on Android. These people have a national responsibility. Not using this taxpayer-supported equipment shows a certain lack of gratitude.

Some CrackBerry members seem to value their privacy more than these elected men and women (... and would love to use such a phone!).



? BlackBerry? I premdict the future's gonna be chenomenal! ?

That wasn't the reasons cited in the article was it?
Poor call quality sounds like a legitimate concern

Posted via the Android CrackBerry App!

[Ment]

The problem is that secusmart works point to point. If you're calling someone that isn't on the same system: Nothing. I can see why it may be a problem for some. Private, encrypted mail servers, device encryption and all that: That's not just the province of BlackBerry alone (though arguably their implementation is the best) and android/apple moving to full encryption means that people can use the phone they want to use. For secure encrypted calls, make use of the provided secusmart. Otherwise it's not that vital.

Are saying a securesmart enabled phone can ONLY call/SMS securesmart numbers? If so yes that would a restriction that would greatly reduce the use of the device. What doesn't make sense is that apparently they can do their jobs without the device so someone must be responding on the other end to their email/sms/calls.

[Poirots Progeny]

Are saying a securesmart enabled phone can ONLY call/SMS securesmart numbers? If so yes that would a restriction that would greatly reduce the use of the device. What doesn't make sense is that apparently they can do their jobs without the device so someone must be responding on the other end to their email/sms/calls.

The encryption works point to point - the receiving device needs to either have secusmart hardware installed, or have a sd card (again, hardware) running the decryption, or else have an app (I believe that's the absolute lowest grade service on offer) - none of those things and one can't decrypt the encrypted call/sms/data packet.

So essentially if a secusmart device (like a heavily modified z10) calls a run of the mill iphone (which will invariably happen, given the sales figures of those devices) then no encrypted communication.

Now one would think these devices are provided to employees so that they may communicate securely AMONGST THEMSELVES! And perhaps devices are handed out to VIPs so that they may talk about the weather or something. Our arrange a hook up. But I guess people can't be bothered with the extra steps involved.

I'm always surprised at the lack of security and privacy awareness governments display. But then I live in a place where entire social services databases can be put into drives and dvds and then be left on the train...

There is no app for stupidity.