[eshropshire]

I wouldn't venture to out guess what BOA is specifically intending to mitigate but do know that there were topics my "old" firm simply never mentioned electronically with, or about, certain clients. Clients who viewed protecting their ip, etc, as existentially critical. Even personally existential. Alien as that concept likely seems to typical "western" consumers. Unbelievably bad actors DO play. Both corporate and government. Industrial espionage IS a thing! Existential implications, for some.

NO current technology is deemed adequate by these clients. NOthing associated with Google, Apple or Samsung is even open for discussion. Even discussions about discussions take place face to face in a "quiet room" buried among old square wave freq drives at full production. Lol. ALL mobile electronics have been sequestered in a locked "faraday cage" safe, far away. Simply removing the battery is no longer considered adequate, I now hear.

How does "face to face" work post covid? Or even flying? Where might ANYone find "warm phuzzie" communicating electronically? I can guarantee that simply transmitting a CAD file is FAR easier than hand carried paper prints! Lol. Our IT, collaborating with my dept's "smart guys", has deployed "hardware vpn" routers, there-to-here, to ease with SOME data. I've left that up to them. BUT, these particular clients inevitably ask ME what I think is "safe"... Lol. An engineer will NEVER declare ANYthing as "safe"! Only "safer"... Lol.

I might possibly empathise with a CEO who might be dealing with clients, client IT, and in house IT all feeling as if contemporary "best practices" and "state of the art" technology is still not adequate... What should a good CEO do when confronted with such inadequacies? Reaching out to "outside others" who might assist seems a pretty legitimate role? Under certain circumstances?? Idk. We'll likely learn how legit BOA's CEO's role is in all of this SOMEday. Lol.

There are already mobile technologies that will meet very strong security. Device to device encryption for voice and text. Devices that will basically self destruct all data if tampered withy by a someone.

That said, in my 30+ years in tech I have worked on some of the top security areas. I have worked for companies that found listening devices in their corporate offices. I can list dozens of vectors of attack that have been and are currently being used. By far the most successful breaches of the most sensitive areas are due to employees either being stupid and lazy or being bad actors.

I can guarantee any of those clients that demand that type of security have major wholes in their operations. One company I worked with kept saying they were very secure. They invested millions in high tech security. A security firm was hired to cerify thier security. After a few weeks they handed the company copies of their most sensitive code, their most important financial, legal and customer data. Basically the keys to the kingdom. All without any fancy tech break in. They penetrated multiple sites in the company because of employees. I have read many books by former security thiefs all say the same thing their best ops were not high tech break-ins.

That said, if you care about high security. The US Government has many layers of protection. I work on passing these levels of security. Not easy, fast or cheap. For all of their tech, the biggest breaks to National security are humans.

I am jaded when I hear any company or institution tell me how secure they are because I have seen breakdowns in almost every case through low teach approaches.

[idssteve]

There are already mobile technologies that will meet very strong security. Device to device encryption for voice and text. Devices that will basically self destruct all data if tampered withy by a someone.

That said, in my 30+ years in tech I have worked on some of the top security areas. I have worked for companies that found listening devices in their corporate offices. I can list dozens of vectors of attack that have been and are currently being used. By far the most successful breaches of the most sensitive areas are due to employees either being stupid and lazy or being bad actors.

I can guarantee any of those clients that demand that type of security have major wholes in their operations. One company I worked with kept saying they were very secure. They invested millions in high tech security. A security firm was hired to cerify thier security. After a few weeks they handed the company copies of their most sensitive code, their most important financial, legal and customer data. Basically the keys to the kingdom. All without any fancy tech break in. They penetrated multiple sites in the company because of employees. I have read many books by former security thiefs all say the same thing their best ops were not high tech break-ins.

That said, if you care about high security. The US Government has many layers of protection. I work on passing these levels of security. Not easy, fast or cheap. For all of their tech, the biggest breaks to National security are humans.

I am jaded when I hear any company or institution tell me how secure they are because I have seen breakdowns in almost every case through low teach approaches.

100% agree. There is no "safe". Only "safer". My "tiny" company and our "tiny" clients don't gross enough to make a rounding error for the big monsters. But it's their whole world. They've been happy enough keeping things paper & ink and plane trip face to face (stone knives & bear skins? Lol) primitive. Just the life of Who in a world of not so benevolent Hortons. Lol. Covid has thrown a curve that is already needing addressing. Dunno.

[moses4188]

I think that it will be Android 10 which they promiss to update later to Android 11 but never deliver

[Matt J]

I hope there will be some great software merged with some great hardware, but my expectations are low.

Not to be negative, but what can they really do that Samsung or Google or Apple haven't? These are already secure phones with many layers of encryption, privacy and security control.

The KEY2 was no more secure than an iPhone or Galaxy Note, less so in fact because of the slowness of updates. And that whole kernel hardening thing was of unknown value, at least to me.

I hope the new BlackBerry does well, sells well and provides a great user experience. But realistically, a small startup, even with BlackBerry's support can't compete with the level of innovation that will come out of Apple, Samsung or Google.

The best I could personally hope for is a decent PKB device with timely and long lasting software updates. Android 11 will already have advanced privacy and security features built in. It's a mature OS, like iOS, that does the job very well already.

Innovation seems to be in the hardware space now with more advanced processors, 5G, cameras and screens. Android has been pretty much the same since Android 9. Unless Google shakes things up with Android 12, we are pretty much "there".

Nevertheless, I am cheering for the new BlackBerry, and I hope it succeeds.

[whatnow00]

If you want a PKB, exactly what other different options did we have? All we can do is speculate on their public statements? What do you suggest for the alternative now?

All we had was TCL, which is why I bought multiple despite their flaws. But these forums were bought and paid for by TCL then and any criticism was stamped out by "Ambassadors" and "Trusted Members".

As some here seem to be now doing regarding Onward's hook. That's Conite's point.

After years of getting burned, you start to get sceptical. Best to wait and see what they do. Not rely on what they say.

Good advice for a lot of things these days.

Exactly, which is why it was so unhelpful for so many astroturf forum members to be here covering up for TCL's faults.

[conite]

All we had was TCL, which is why I bought multiple despite their flaws. But these forums were bought and paid for by TCL then and any criticism was stamped out by "Ambassadors" and "Trusted Members".



Exactly, which is why it was so unhelpful for so many astroturf forum members to be here covering up for TCL's faults.

Ambassadors and Trusted Members are no different from you or any other members of the community. They have neither marching orders, nor motivation to kowtow.

My opinions are my own and mine alone.

[whatnow00]

Ambassadors and Trusted Members are no different from you or any other members of the community. They have neither marching orders, nor motivation to kowtow.

My opinions are my own and mine alone.

Well then you were thoroughly duped, or extremely gullible, or both to believe anything that came out of TCL.

[conite]

Well then you were thoroughly duped, or extremely gullible, or both to believe anything that came out of TCL.

You're specifically referring to expectations regarding how long they would stick with the licensing agreement I presume?

Perhaps, I was more optimistic than I should have been in early 2019.

Although, in general, TCL made good on every single commitment they made related to both updates and patches. So I had very little else to be pessimistic about until the whole thing fell apart mid-2019.

[Bla1ze]

You're specifically referring to expectations regarding how long they would stick with the licensing agreement I presume?

Perhaps, I was more optimistic than I should have been in early 2019.

Although, in general, TCL made good on every single commitment they made related to both updates and patches. So I had very little else to be pessimistic about until the whole thing fell apart mid-2019.

If you weren't optimistic, you'd be called negative. Can't win for losing.

[Chuck Finley69]

All we had was TCL, which is why I bought multiple despite their flaws. But these forums were bought and paid for by TCL then and any criticism was stamped out by "Ambassadors" and "Trusted Members".



Exactly, which is why it was so unhelpful for so many astroturf forum members to be here covering up for TCL's faults.

How was I bought? I didn't receive anything. Trusted Members are expected to answer questions and post replies in a honest and trustful manner. Just an unpaid volunteer. So you bought Key2 and it came with a warranty...?? You need something extra?

Posted via CB10

[Bbnivende]

An old but interesting sliver of an idea. https://www.eweek.com/pc-hardware/ho...of-smartphones

[idssteve]

I hope there will be some great software merged with some great hardware, but my expectations are low.

Not to be negative, but what can they really do that Samsung or Google or Apple haven't? These are already secure phones with many layers of encryption, privacy and security control.

The KEY2 was no more secure than an iPhone or Galaxy Note, less so in fact because of the slowness of updates. And that whole kernel hardening thing was of unknown value, at least to me.

I hope the new BlackBerry does well, sells well and provides a great user experience. But realistically, a small startup, even with BlackBerry's support can't compete with the level of innovation that will come out of Apple, Samsung or Google.

The best I could personally hope for is a decent PKB device with timely and long lasting software updates. Android 11 will already have advanced privacy and security features built in. It's a mature OS, like iOS, that does the job very well already.

Innovation seems to be in the hardware space now with more advanced processors, 5G, cameras and screens. Android has been pretty much the same since Android 9. Unless Google shakes things up with Android 12, we are pretty much "there".

Nevertheless, I am cheering for the new BlackBerry, and I hope it succeeds.

Google IS software. Apple & Google can stack enough $$ to bury anything tiny BB et al does in software space. Even "protected" ip... Remember SUN? Lol.

The ONE thing BB et al clobbers all contenders at is their exquisite PKB experience. Amazingly, TCL didn't avail themselves of that asset. Sounds like OM might not either? ??

[bakron1]

There are already mobile technologies that will meet very strong security. Device to device encryption for voice and text. Devices that will basically self destruct all data if tampered withy by a someone.

That said, in my 30+ years in tech I have worked on some of the top security areas. I have worked for companies that found listening devices in their corporate offices. I can list dozens of vectors of attack that have been and are currently being used. By far the most successful breaches of the most sensitive areas are due to employees either being stupid and lazy or being bad actors.

I can guarantee any of those clients that demand that type of security have major wholes in their operations. One company I worked with kept saying they were very secure. They invested millions in high tech security. A security firm was hired to cerify thier security. After a few weeks they handed the company copies of their most sensitive code, their most important financial, legal and customer data. Basically the keys to the kingdom. All without any fancy tech break in. They penetrated multiple sites in the company because of employees. I have read many books by former security thiefs all say the same thing their best ops were not high tech break-ins.

That said, if you care about high security. The US Government has many layers of protection. I work on passing these levels of security. Not easy, fast or cheap. For all of their tech, the biggest breaks to National security are humans.

I am jaded when I hear any company or institution tell me how secure they are because I have seen breakdowns in almost every case through low teach approaches.

So true and we also had a small company and did simple things to make sure our data was secured, the only security issue we ever had was from an employee who didn’t pay attention to our security protocols and cost us 20k which is trivial in today’s scheme of things, but was a lot to us.

I have said this a thousand times that nothing is 100% secure. Common sense goes along way and unfortunately they don’t teach that anymore.

[Denise in Los Angeles]

All we had was TCL, which is why I bought multiple despite their flaws. But these forums were bought and paid for by TCL then and any criticism was stamped out by "Ambassadors" and "Trusted Members".

The Ambassador program PREDATED the BlackBerry/TCL agreement. We were chosen based on our positive contributions to this forum. We were never told to promote TCL or discourage ctiticism of the company.

[Rootbrian]

If it has the ability to be brute-rooted, i'm all for it.

Highly doubt it though.

From my BlackBerry Q5 on Freedom Mobile 3G HSPA+

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

If it has the ability to be brute-rooted, i'm all for it.

Highly doubt it though.

From my BlackBerry Q5 on Freedom Mobile 3G HSPA+

I agree it might give some users a way to prolong the hardware's usefulness. But locked boot ROMS are just part of BlackBerry's DNA.

[Ashley Taylor]

Let's remember that this is an enterprise-first device, and is apparently designed specifically for some special application requested by Bank of America. So it's really that application that will define it all.

So not that secure. Bank of America left an open Wi-Fi connection in their data center for months. Ours was on the floor below theirs

[Chuck Finley69]

So not that secure. Bank of America left an open Wi-Fi connection in their data center for months. Ours was on the floor below theirs

What fun were you able to have with that open connection?

[RLeeSimon]

I am wondering if the fire sale will precede the release ???

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I am wondering if the fire sale will precede the release ???

I'm wondering if the "sale" will precede the production....

[Elephant_Canyon]

What fun were you able to have with that open connection?

Don't answer that! It's a trap!

[bakron1]

I agree it might give some users a way to prolong the hardware's usefulness. But locked boot ROMS are just part of BlackBerry's DNA.

As you said, locked out boot ROM’s are a major selling point for security and sense this product is being geared towards the enterprise market, that will be a given.

[conite]

As you said, locked out boot ROM’s are a major selling point for security and sense this product is being geared towards the enterprise market, that will be a given.

Not necessarily.

Knox does not have a locked bootloader, but uses e-fuse technology instead.

If you choose to root, you lose corporate connectivity permanently.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Not necessarily.

Knox does not have a locked bootloader, but uses e-fuse technology instead.

If you choose to root, you lose corporate connectivity permanently.

But that's really the only thing some could point to BlackBerry's Android Secure being "better" than KNOX.

But now that Samsung and Google's own Pixel devices have security chips in them... I'm not sure how you out security them. And still have a device that is consumer friendly and has GPS.

[RLeeSimon]

people who are positive about BlackBerry all own pixels or sammys now…