Blackberry - seems very secure to me!

[Black Panther]

http://www.maltastar.com/userfiles/tn/t_440x0_blackberry1.jpg

Saudi Arabia has allegedly banned the phone after police said they were not convinced of the Smartphone’s security. The same thing happened in India.

The messaging system in these countries means that when one sends a message, it is encrypted into a code, sent outside the country and then sent back and encrypted once again. This system does not allow police to read or trace messages due to the encrypting, thus causing security problems.

But, what is the situation like in Malta? Are we at risk too?

It seems that with our messaging system, our messages are encrypted internally, however when contacted the MCA said that they have not yet certified whether or not Maltese Blackberry users were at risk.

Read more here. (http://www.maltastar.com/pages/r1/ms10dart.asp?a=11239)

Am I missing out something? It seems the Blackberry is very secure to me :D

[DrPepper]

http://www.maltastar.com/userfiles/tn/t_440x0_blackberry1.jpg



Read more here. (http://www.maltastar.com/pages/r1/ms10dart.asp?a=11239)

Am I missing out something? It seems the Blackberry is very secure to me :D

So secure the government can't figure out what your saying :p

[Black Panther]

Apparently governments want the general public to own phones which they can evesdrop at whim.

What baffles me is why they are labelling phones which don't allow 3rd parties to read or trace messages as unsecure... :rolleyes:

[mlee49]

Whats a Blackberry?


sent from my Android smart phone

[xaira]

let them try to take my berry

[Hybrid_theory]

I was reading an article on this this morning from techrepublic. Mike Laziridis of RIM commented on it as well.

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/security/?p=4239&tag=results;CR1

Every message is encrypted before it leaves the phone. All messages are sent to RIM’s BlackBerry Enterprise Solutions (BES) servers located in network operating centers throughout the world. After which, it is sent on to the intended recipient. In a prepared statement, RIM’s co-Chief Executive Mike Lazaridis explains the process in more detail:

“The BlackBerry security architecture for enterprise customers is based on a symmetric key system whereby the customer creates their own key and only the customer ever possesses a copy of their encryption key. RIM does not possess a “master key”, nor does any “back door” exist in the system that would allow RIM or any third party to gain unauthorized access to the key or corporate data.”

The statement also mentions:

“RIM would simply be unable to accommodate any request for a copy of a customer’s encryption key since at no time does RIM, or any wireless network operator, ever possess a copy of the key.”

Here is where I get confused. Somewhere along the way there has to be another copy of the symmetric key. How else will the data get decrypted? Maybe the clue is in this last part of the statement:

“All data remains encrypted through all points of transfer between the customer’s BlackBerry Enterprise Server and the customer’s device. At no point in the transfer is data decrypted and re-encrypted.”

[PP Mguire]

Blackberry phones used to be extremely insecure back when the Blackjack was also popular. They have since then upped their game.

Also, that last quote is BS. You send your calls and messages through your wireless provider first which then proceeds the message to the recipient. It cannot be sent to RIM first or else every Blackberry customer would be paying Blackberry for service and a data plan. Cell phone towers do not say Blackberry, they say Verizon, ATT, T-Mobile, Virgin, Sprint, ect. And last i checked Gov officials can seize that information with probable cause or a warrant. IE Sexting with CP or w/e.

[Wile E]

Whats a Blackberry?


sent from my Android smart phone

What's Android?

Sent from my iPhone

[DrPepper]

What's Android?

Sent from my iPhone

It's none of your concern mr iOS4.

[jmcslob]

Well the Torch is a Fairly good phone and unlike the Iphone4 it can be more than a mile away from a tower without dropping calls....

and on subject..
RIM is talking about only keeping it's Secure encrypted system for Commercial use only because of this...Basically make that feature for Businesses only.

[mlee49]

What's Android?

Sent from my iPhone

It's what should be running on your jailbroken iCrap. (poop)

[Wile E]

It's what should be running on your jailbroken iCrap. (poop)

lol. I agree, actually. Really wish a stable port would pop up.

[Namslas90]

lol. I agree, actually. Really wish a stable port would pop up.

Nah, you just need one of these;

http://patapete.vox.com/library/post/nec-docomo-makes-higashi-no-eden-keitai.html

[btarunr]

The twats at our government basically want to harrass and milk Blackberry. There are other mobile handset manufacturers behind that.

They maintain that since terrorists who carried out attacks on Mumbai in 2008 used Blackberry to communicate with their handlers in the Pakistani government, the Indian security agencies couldn't decrypt those messages. Same with infiltrators in Kashmir.

But then crackberry addicts are hating the government for it. They think their corporate communications setup with be badly disturbed if they can't securely communicate while on the move.

Overall, I think blackberry will win.

[pr0n Inspector]

Blackberry's supposed security is a combination of the physical location of their servers and (the not very amazing) encryption. I don't see why you cannot use a standard encrypted data connection to retrieve emails from (your own) secure server. It may not be as nice/simple as BBM and BB PIN, but it gets the job done.