Tag: blackberry mobile security

BlackBerry boosts mobile security investment with Encription acquisition

| March 1, 2016

The turnaround strategy for the struggling Canadian handset maker is now aiming toward cyber-protection.

BlackBerry has tried virtually everything to try to recover its floundering handset business, but the area in which it has remained strong – and where its future may lie – is in mobile security.

The company has underscored that belief in the recent acquisition of Encription, a company based in the U.K.

Encription is a consultancy that is based in cyber and mobile security. The importance of digital security has been increasing in virtually every industry around the world, particularly in the growth in of the Internet of Things (IoT). As the dependence on connected technology increases, so does the demand for security software and related consultancy services. BlackBerry has always been strong in this area and will likely be playing to that strength in order to recover from its suffering hardware business as it recreates itself.

The details regarding the acquisition of the cyber and mobile security firm have yet to be released.

Mobile Security - BlackberryThat said, by acquiring this company, BlackBerry will gain access to a large new customer base, in addition to the talent of about 40 professionals in the cyber security industry. These experts have already assisted in testing network vulnerabilities for a wealth of large corporations as well as government agencies.

The head of corporate development at BlackBerry, James Mackey, explained that acquiring Encription was a natural decision for the company and will seamlessly extend BlackBerry to allow it to offer a broader range of cyber security services than it ever has. Moreover, as it solidifies its customer base with the newest additions, it will now become possible for the Canadian tech company to cross-sell its own software products.

Protecting device users against mobile security threats, as well as the creation and implementation of strategies to mitigate those threats and the enhancement of vital IT security standards are some of the areas in which BlackBerry has held considerable appeal among consumers and business customers, alike. Many industry analysts have been predicting this path for the company for well over a year, as the hardware side of the company continues a downward stumble.

BlackBerry sticks to its mobile security and privacy stand, despite pressure in Pakistan

| December 4, 2015

The company has said that it would prefer to leave that country than to open its servers to authorities there.

BlackBerry Ltd. has announced that it will be placing its previous intentions to withdraw from its Pakistan operations on hold for the moment but that it will stand firm when it comes to maintaining the mobile security and privacy of its customers.

It continues to say that it will step out of its Pakistan operations if authorities there continue to demand access to its data.

The authorities in Pakistan have been demanding “unfettered” access to all of the customer data stored on the company’s BES servers. BlackBerry has been refusing to comply with these demands and had intended to close up its business there. While it has now said that it is delaying its withdrawal, it has added that it is not changing its position when it comes to the mobile security and personal and business privacy of its customers.

The Canadian smartphone maker has said that it will keep up its mobile security and Pakistan operations until December 30.

Mobile Security - BlackberryThis extension is the outcome of a compliance extension that the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority issued to its original order that was created in July. The company had already been saying that it would not breach the privacy of its customers on the BES servers and that it would leave Pakistan rather than comply with the demands being made by those authorities. It had been required to provide full access to the server content of its BlackBerry Enterprise Service by November 30, though this has been extended by another month.

While it did say that it would be willing to work with the authorities in Pakistan in order to ensure that public safety remains protected, but that the mobile security and privacy of its customers are at the highest priority to BlackBerry and that it won’t give in or even compromise when it comes to opening up all access to the authorities in the country.

Marty Beard, the BlackBerry operations chief, explained that the company does know that it is vitally important to cooperate with a government’s lawful information request when it comes to detecting criminal activity, but that it never has and never will simply open up complete access to BlackBerry’s service.