back to article RIM good for secret jobs: BlackBerry 10 cleared for Restricted data

BlackBerry 10 has passed the US Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) certification, meaning devices based on the platform can be used to send classified data between government agents. Despite a drop in US government uptake of its kit, this is still something unique to RIM. Apple and Android have both made huge …

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  1. Big_Ted
    Thumb Down

    Bloody Anal-lysts

    "Not that all publicity is good: on Wednesday an analysts from Pacific Crest Securities said the new OS might be "dead on arrival", prompting an 8 per cent drop in RIM shares, and some damage limitation from the company."

    As with all these anal-lysts if they were so clever and knew what they were talking about that they were right more often than not they would have made a private fortune and not have to work for a living, yet still idiots listen to them and drop or boost the share price of a company on an opinion......

    Lets start another section in the "against the walll" book, right after the section for patent lawyers we put the anal-lysts .

    As to the story, well done to RIM for showing once again they are better than all the rest at somes things and so will remain the number one choice for certain groups even if it is you James Bond types rather than you or me.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Bloody Anal-lysts

      10 introduces a partitioning/data-firewall of sorts, to allow you to have sensitive/work data held separate and safe from personal... including apps. This architecture would prevent, for example, the Facebook app from being able to sniff your contacts from your work Exchange account.

      It's a very niche concern... but I work with a company that will not allow iOS in particular - or any other Mobile Device/OS other than BB - because of these types of concerns. Rumor has it iOS is working on a solution for this... I'm not sure about Android or WP. Also, for the record, Good *might* be able to address this issue - not sure. If so, it's the only ActiveSync MDM vendor that has...

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Bloody Anal-lysts

        That data partitioning sounds a darn good thought through design underneath. Also given this is from my understanding a compeletely new OS from previous generations then news like this realy is a realy good sign.

        I hope they carry on to leverage there investment into this OS. Though when share prices are based upon the number of followers your facebook and twitter fans have and nothing to do with the product and sales data, then you have to ask. Who analyses the anal-lysts.

  2. ItsNotMe
    FAIL

    So what?

    Who really cares any more?

    RIM are so far behind, that even MS Phone 8 looks good. At least it's out and being sold. RIM have been promising BB10 for nearly a year...still nothing. "Early 2013" now? Yea...believe when I see it.

    My Uni has said Buh-Bye to ALL RIM devices & BES servers. 20k potential BB Enterprise users have gone "poof"! And we are not alone.

    1. Gerhard den Hollander

      Re: So what?

      lots of people care. Despite signifcant drops in sale, it's still a widely used phone.

      Looking at the general populace around where I live, I would say about 1 in 4 smartphones is a BBrry.

      BBerry may be years behind the other platforms on many things, their exchange / lotus notes/email services is still far ahead of the competition (and for me personally, physical keyboards are a prime motivator when it comes to choosing a mobile phone).

      If you want a phone that can do phone stuff (calling, texting, whatsapp) and can do email better then anyone else, you have little choice.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: So what?

        Indeed and widely used in business, so any improvements will be welcomed by people who no choice but to use a BB device.

      2. This post has been deleted by its author

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: So what?

          @pengwyn

          Can someone translate that?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: So what?

      Have you even seen it?

      Business users want an optimal interface for their work pattern, checking email and appointments. With BB10 they can have one app open and then peek at their email and appointments without leaving the current app.

      Okay, you can do this with notification centres etc, but it works a lot nicer than that since you don't bring the notification center completely in view, you can just peek around the corner so to speak.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What good is keeping restricted data secure when Washington has shown they can't keep secrets.

  4. koolholio
    Black Helicopters

    FIPS? is a standard, and CESG is English

    Why do I care about the american-based standards on a .co.uk news website?

    1. ItsNotMe

      Re: Why do I care about the american-based standards on a .co.uk news website?

      Because it is also used by the UK.

      "...And BlackBerry security is also recognized by the Common Criteria Certification, a security clearance used by 26 countries, RIM noted."

      http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9233366/BlackBerry_10_is_FIPS_certified_in_advance_of_platform_s_release

      The UK is a "Certificate Authorizing Member" for Common Criteria Certification.

      http://www.commoncriteriaportal.org/

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Why do I care about the american-based standards on a .co.uk news website?

        Minor point: FIPS 140 and Common Criteria have nothing to do with each other.

    2. This post has been deleted by its author

  5. James 100
    FAIL

    Secure handsets

    Boeing are working on a secure Android-based handset; apparently the NSA built its own Android-based "Fishbowl" handset with Top Secret approval and distributed about 100 of them.

    Dell had a DoD-approved handset too, though only approved for "secure unclassified", the level below the RIM device; NSA's is two levels *above* RIM's, as is at least one of General Dynamics's Sectera devices (Top Secret voice calls, Secret data, IIRC.)

    "Most secure"? No: this leaves RIM a very long way behind the actual "secure" handsets out there - and at least some of those run Android and even Windows Mobile, so it's not as if it's a market that won't accept standard commercial software.

    1. Otto is a bear.

      Mmmmm

      Selectra are fine, if you've got money to burn, or only need small numbers, but blackberry caters for those organisations who need equip large numbers of employees at a reasonable cost, and integrate with Exchange and alike. Secure infrastructures do not come cheap, and lots of government bodies need them, without the squirrel community pricing.

      I'd expect there will be a secure android at some point, possibly even a Windows variant, but they won't be any cheaper, nor will they be cutting edge OS. This is because once you have your cutting edge OS, to secure it you need to spend a lot of time and effort getting it accredited to whatever level require, by which time you no longer have a cutting edge OS.

      BTW. I have both iPhone and Blackberry, I wouldn't swap my iPhone for personal use, or my blackberry for business.

    2. Matt_payne666

      Re: Secure handsets

      And the platform for sectera? windows phone :)

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Secure handsets

      Sectera SME-PED isn't available to anyone but government, and at $8000 per handset, generally only in small numbers. Then there's the half million bucks you need to spend on backend infrastructure to support those $8000 handsets...

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Odd Title

    "RIM good for secret jobs" and "BlackBerry 10 cleared for Restricted data" don't mean the same thing.

    Or am I missing something?

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    NO GAAPS YEAPZ ON DEM RIMZ U GOTZ THERE

    no chicken dinnahz

    maybe survive. maybe

    UTILIZE MONGOOSE BIKE FOR INSPIRATION

    space cheese forever!

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Mmm, secret rimjobs

    Someone had to say it.

  9. This post has been deleted by its author

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    iOS6 okay for IL3

    CESG has recently issued guidance on how to apply a secure configuration profile to iOS6 devices to make them acceptable for processing IL3 information.

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