back to article US Department of Defense throws lifeline to beleaguered BlackBerry

BlackBerry has received certification to be used on US Department of Defense networks, the first Mobile Device Management (MDM) provider to be so certified. "With foreign entities – governmental and criminal – ramping up attacks on electronic communications and information systems, BlackBerry provides government agencies with …

COMMENTS

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  1. Malcolm Weir Silver badge

    It's a little misleading to suggest that the "the DoD requirements are higher than those required for the FIPS 140-2" because you're mixing apples and oranges (err... pears and pomegranates, to avoid names already used in the mobile biz).

    In reality, FIPS 140-2 certification is a necessary (but not sufficient) _element_ of the DoD certification requirements; there is no way a company could "bypass" getting the FIPS 140 certification and just get the DoD approval, which is what the "requirements are higher" implies.

    [ Maybe I'm just picking nits -- no, really -- but if the article had used "broader" in place of "higher", I wouldn't have commented... ]

    1. Chippy55

      I'm sorry but what exactly is your title, other than a picker of nits. The article was very clear in delineating that they are the FIRST company to achieve this prestigious award.

      It may have escaped your attention but only a few weeks ago a group of students from Georgia Tech demonstrated how ANY Apple device could be hacked through the charger! Wha?! Huh?! I'm excited that Blackberry has received this certification and have been informing people of Apple's limitations, namely: Watch out when you go through an airport, or cafe and some seemingly altruistic individual offers a weary traveler a chance to charge up for free, meanwhile the hacking has begun the second the traveler plugs in. And is clueless once he leaves. Stay informed and remember, if it good enough for the DoD, it's secure enough for you. :)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Blackberry 10 was already completely rooted via a Flash exploit. The only major unhacked mobile OS is Windows Phone.

        Blackberry are dying as corporates start to jump ship:

        http://www.intomobile.com/2013/07/30/leaked-document-suggests-o2-germany/

        http://www.mobilenewscwp.co.uk/2013/08/05/nokia-wins-britvic-handset-deal-from-blackberry/

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Facepalm

          Windows Phone unhacked?

          "Windows Phone 8 Hacked"

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Windows Phone unhacked?

            "Windows Phone 8 Hacked"

            Nope - WP is still secure. That never happened.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        > It may have escaped your attention but only a few weeks ago a group of students from Georgia Tech

        > demonstrated how ANY Apple device could be hacked through the charger! Wha?! Huh?!

        Aah... Chippy55 ... the resident Reg Apple Basher. ;-)

        It may have escaped *your* attention that certain governments spied on G20 delegates intercepting emails etc received on .... yes, you guessed it, their Blackberries.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      FIPS 140 (-1 and -2 varieties) validations certify that the cryptographic module (HW, SW or combination) have properly implemented the cryptographic parts of a system, when the instructions are followed to the letter. The cryptography algorithms in any such module also have their specs that must be met (such as FIPS 197 for AES) to be part of a FIPS 140 module. When all these parts and pieces and more are put together in a system, then that system in totality is accepted by a big guy as having no "unacceptable" weaknesses in the expected environment and he/she gives the ATO.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Big Brother

    Does this mean that they are a certified PRISM provider?

    From the article - >"BlackBerry has received certification to be used on US Department of Defense networks"

    How do you receive this certification? Prove that the NSA backdoors are hardwired into your phones and networks, so that calls and data are dumped directly into the PRISM system?

    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: Does this mean that they are a certified PRISM provider?

      Probably the only people you can trust to not give in to the NSA is the DoD - they are natural enemies

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Does this mean that they are a certified PRISM provider?

        Um, you do know that the NSA is part of the DoD, right? That would explain why the NSA also maintains the U.S. national cyberwarfare command and why the head of the NSA always seems to go by the title of "General".

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Does this mean that they are a certified PRISM provider?

          "Um, you do know that the NSA is part of the DoD, right?"

          You clearly don't know much about US Government Agencies. Just because there is a General at the top of the NSA pile does not under any circumstances mean that NSA is happy to speak to any other US Government agency willingly.

          And just at the moment its all the other agencies that will most likely be refusing to speak to NSA, that leaky old sieve that can't even manage to keep a few piddly secrets safely under lock and key without someone walk out the door with a USB stick or two...

      2. keith_w
        FAIL

        Re: Does this mean that they are a certified PRISM provider?

        NSA is PART of the DOD

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I think it was John Le Carre who said that the advantage of having your phone tapped was that the line was perfect, no crackling, no noise, always available. If that's the trade-off, bring it on.

  4. Evan Essence

    "With foreign entities – governmental and criminal – ramping up attacks on electronic communications and information systems,

    Of course, he absolutely doesn't have the United States in mind, no.

  5. 27escape

    So do they want these

    Because they cannot be snooped, or because they can?

    Surely they want to shutdown RIM, as they provide encrypted messaging like Lavasoft and Silent Circle did.

    1. Irony Deficient

      is it snoopable?

      27escape, perhaps this article from exactly three years ago might provide a starting point from which an answer to your question could be determined.

  6. Henry Wertz 1 Gold badge

    BES is pretty secure

    BES is a pretty secure setup, and BB's support features like remote wipe out of the box.

  7. Robert Knight

    Isn't Good Approved for DOD - that's an MDM solution for iOS?

    As far as I am aware, Good is the approved DOD solution for iOS:

    http://www1.good.com/products/good-for-government

    Since this is both an MDM product as well as secure sandbox, isn't Good the first MDM solution?

  8. Robert Knight

    Good For Government Given DOD ATO in August 2010!

    http://www1.good.com/news/press-releases/archived-press-releases/137446318.html

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