BlackBerry 6 kernel gets cryptographic seal of approval from U.S. government

By on Dec 1, 2010 at 7:01 PM
Software December 1, 2010

Today, Research In Motion announced that the cryptographic kernel of its BlackBerry 6 mobile operating system has earned the FIPS 140-2 security certification. FIPS, or Federal Information Processing Standard, is a classification used by the U.S. — and others — to validate the security of a computer system’s cryptographic services. The certification officially green-lights the OS for use by government employees handing “sensitive but unclassified” information. Just another security feather for RIM’s proverbial cap.

[Via CIO]

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  • Anonymous

    I wish I had a 9780

    • R. Mutt

      I hear you…

    • iMiiTH

      You can still load a leaked version of OS 6 onto your 9700. (if you have one)

  • We’re screwed

    Does this make you warm and fuzzy considering the govt. can’t secure state dept. communications?

    • Anonymous

      More to the point, when their crypto is certified, but they’re pushing for ours to be backdoored?

  • Camerondamon

    BGR, you are missing the ‘n’ in government.

    • sirpaul

      Do you guys not have spell check? It’s not even a grammar or similar-word typo for goodness sake…

  • Ms. Incredible

    All I can say is this, Android releases updates quite often, Gingerbread in the works. Annnd apple releases updates all the time for “antenna issues” and other things. So why is it that rim has to make sucha huge deal about releasing os6, which shoulda already been released already 2 years ago on the storm? Why oh why RIM? Your like that girl who gets drunk at the party and makes a scene just for the attention? We get it, you have a web kit browser, and universal search. It’s neat don’t get me wrong. Oh and before anyone hates on me any of you fanchildren out there, I am running a bold, on os6, annnnnd i’m that drunk girl at the party. End.

    • sirpaul

      How are they making a scene? And we have one BB-related post after a never ending string of Apple posts and you freak out? Also, while Apple is busy adding airplay and making the menus pretty, RIM is busy making their device secure for government use. Why do you complain so much? Technically they don’t even have to release an update for your phone if they don’t want to. You get what you pay for – any extra-feature updates you get after is a bonus. That is why the iPhone is a consumer and not a government-issued phone.

      • Norm

        The government is clearly not too concerned about security (read: wikileaks)….

      • JT

        There is no anti-virus or protection in the world that is 100% effective at preventing justice.

      • Ms. Incredible

        Really? They don’t have to make updates for my phone? A bonus? Yes that is an excellent business tatic. Here you go business customer spend $300 with your two year contract and will give you a device that we will not make updates for, that wouldn’t even makes sense. But here comes RIM to save the day and provide updates and liberate all there customers from smartphone slavery. All I am saying to you is, what takes them so long? I don’t like the iphone and generally most iphone customers irritate the crap outta me. But there phones do things in a way that as of now even os6 won’t do as smoothly. I just hope RIM steps it up soon. Esp if the iphone really is the highset selling smartphone in the us, yikes.

  • Stan Winstone

    Hmm- does it pass the Wikileaks test though? Best to hide these emails under the bed just to be sure…

  • http://rmbo47.myopenid.com/ rmbo47

    Does this “US Government Seal of Approval” mean that RIM gave the NSA a back door into the encryption so they can decrypt BBM messages in real time?

  • Drew

    This comes as no surprise as to how secure Blackberry’s are but with that said, RIM can you now please make a consumer Blackberry?? You’ve got the business sector on lock, how about spreading some of the creativeness to the consumer side.

  • Dean

    A U.S. Government cryptographic approval just means that the NSA is completely comfortable in its ability to crack it.

  • CloneIt

    This means your blackberry will take 2 hours to load up after you do a battery pull…

  • R. Mutt

    Just like the iPhone… wait…

  • Gag

    Can they work on making it look nice and easy to use now? Or can I look forward to the OS 6.0003985321 leak and the Blackberry 8990, 8991, and 8992, along with the Bold 9790 and the 9791? I’d like to be happy for RIM but it’s not like they make products that can be used by the broadest amount of people like Apple does.

  • Anonymous

    Awesome…it’s the safest device that no one will want or buy. It’s like building the fastest car in the world, but nobody buys one, or wants it…lol

  • Rmansur55

    FIPS Classifications only means BB has turned over enough information and access to the technology in order to assure the government’s ability to monitor encrypted communications. I prefer the technology provided by non-descreet companies that have not been government approved or hacked. Dragonfly encryption is the most secure encryption I have discovered, its encrypted the moment it leaves my phone or outlook, algorythms change on a random basis and all communications that rest on transfer servers is in encrypted format. NO public keys either, easy as using an ATM card, and far more secure.

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