blackberry security for microsoft exchange

BlackBerry Security for Microsoft Exchange

Research In Motion

© 2003 Research In Motion Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Contents Overview .......................................................................................................................................................................1

Wireless Security.......................................................................................................................................................1 Confidentiality .......................................................................................................................................................1 Integrity .................................................................................................................................................................1 Authenticity ...........................................................................................................................................................1

BlackBerry security ...................................................................................................................................................2 BlackBerry wireless email.............................................................................................................................................3

BlackBerry message routing: desktop to handheld....................................................................................................3 BlackBerry message routing: handheld to desktop....................................................................................................7

BlackBerry security and the Mobile Data Service.........................................................................................................8 Overview ...............................................................................................................................................................8 Security architecture ..............................................................................................................................................8

Wireless Transport Layer Security ............................................................................................................................9 Administering security ................................................................................................................................................11

Wireless IT commands ............................................................................................................................................11 IT policies for security settings................................................................................................................................12

PIN messaging.............................................................................................................................................................13 Disabling PIN and SMS messaging.....................................................................................................................13


Overview This document explores the security features of the BlackBerry™ wireless solution and provides an overview of the BlackBerry security architecture.

Wireless Security Many companies are realizing significant return on investments and productivity gains by extending their enterprise information to mobile employees. With increased demand for mobile content and the threat of information theft, companies have security at the top of their list when evaluating wireless solutions. Without an effective security model, sensitive corporate data could be exposed with financial and legal implications.

A wireless data solution is considered to be effectively “secure” if it encompasses the following cryptographic concepts:

Confidentiality In a corporate environment, one of the most common uses of cryptography is for data encryption. Encryption is the disguising of data in such a way that its true meaning is shielded until it is deciphered by the intended receiver. There are several ways to accomplish encryption; the most common approach is through the use of an encryption scheme. In a typical scenario, data is encrypted using a predetermined and agreed upon protocol and encryption scheme. The resulting data, called the ciphertext, is then transmitted to the receiver. After the data is delivered, the receiver decrypts the data using the agreed upon protocol and obtains the original data. An encryption scheme is designed so that only the parties involved in executing the scheme can correctly encrypt and decrypt each other’s data.

Many different encryption protocols exist, some more secure and more practical than others. Effective protocols provide strong security and complete confidentiality of sensitive user information.

If a company does not deploy encryption, or if it deploys weak encryption, enterprise data or messages could be deciphered by anyone who intercepts them, just as a postcard in the mail could be intercepted and read.

Integrity Data is only as secure as the encryption protocol that is used to encrypt it. As soon as the protocol is compromised, an intermediary can steal, read, delete, or modify the data. The ramifications of such attacks can be disastrous. For this reason, protecting the integrity of data is just as important as securing it.

Data integrity is achieved in modern cryptography by using a Message Authentication Code (MAC) to produce a unique “digital fingerprint” of a document called a hash. A MAC uses a hash function to create a nearly unique fixed-length value from a given input value (for example, a message or a specific length of data) such that when the original value is modified, the resulting hash will differ. When the message is delivered, the user applies the hash function that was applied to the original data, to the received message. If the resulting values match, the message has not been modified. While even the best hash functions are not guaranteed to produce a unique hash value for every unique message, the chances that two different messages will produce the same hash value is highly unlikely.

If a company deploys a solution that does not use satisfactory end-to-end security, a message could be decrypted and intruders could read and edit the contents of the message, and then continue transmission with the fraudulent contents.

Authenticity If both the hash function and the encryption protocol are compromised, an unauthorized intermediary user could read confidential data and also masquerade as a valid user. To prevent this situation from occurring, a secure system must provide sender authentication. Modern security protocols use a “digital signature” to electronically sign a document to prove that it originated from a specific user.

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In a typical situation, two parties wish to authenticate the transmitted data. The sender first creates a digital signature on the data and sends the data and signature to the recipient. The recipient then verifies the sender’s signature. If the digital signature verifies correctly, then the recipient can be sure that the data actually originated from the sender.

Digital signatures are used widely in the software industry; for example, software companies often use digital signatures when distributing their applications over the Internet.

BlackBerry security The BlackBerry solution (consisting of a BlackBerry Wireless Handheld™, handheld software, desktop software, and the BlackBerry Enterprise Server software) enables you to send and receive email and access corporate data wirelessly, while it seamlessly protects data against attack. The BlackBerry solution uses Triple-DES encryption—an advanced encryption method that was initially developed to meet the needs of the US Government—to encrypt data in transit. Data remains encrypted during transit and is never decrypted outside the corporate firewall.

The BlackBerry solution was created with corporate data security in mind. By encrypting data using a strong encryption scheme and by ensuring that data remains encrypted in transit to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, the BlackBerry solution is designed to provide effective protection and helps to preserve the integrity, confidentiality and authenticity of your corporate data.

In addition to providing effective corporate security, the BlackBerry solution provides IT administrators with an effective means to manage their BlackBerry users. The BlackBerry solution enables system administrators to monitor user activity and manage all handhelds on a server. Through the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, system administrators can create and send wireless commands that enable and disable BlackBerry Wireless Handheld™ functionality, such as changing handheld passwords, and locking or deleting information from lost handhelds. Groups of users can be created and managed using IT policy to customize security settings.

The BlackBerry solution excels in its ability to both extend corporate security to the wireless handheld and to manage this security effectively. Its ease of use is apparent to both handheld users and system administrators.



BlackBerry wireless email The BlackBerry solution is designed to enable users to securely send and receive secure email while on the go. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry Wireless Handheld are designed to work seamlessly with existing corporate networks. A corporate network handles an email message sent from a BlackBerry handheld the same way that it handles a traditional email message, by routing messages through the inbox and outbox of the corporate mail server and forwarding them to the user’s handheld or desktop computer. Email remains encrypted at all points between the handheld and the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

BlackBerry message routing: desktop to handheld The following diagram illustrates the route that an email message travels between the desktop and handheld. The path that the message follows, the messaging process, and the numbered elements highlighted in the diagram are described in greater detail below.

BlackBerry messaging process: desktop to handheld

1. User 1 sends a message to User 2 from a desktop computer. In this scenario, User 1 and User 2 both work at the same company.

2. The message is received by the Microsoft® Exchange Server, which notifies the BlackBerry Enterprise Server that the message has arrived.

Microsoft Exchange Server The BlackBerry solution is designed to interoperate with the Microsoft Exchange Server and does not alter normal Microsoft Exchange functionality in any way. The Microsoft Exchange Server continues to receive, deliver, and store all corporate email messages, while the BlackBerry Enterprise Server acts as a conduit to transfer these messages to and from the handheld. The Microsoft Exchange Server still performs all message storage, so that no mail is stored on the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

The BlackBerry Enterprise Server leverages existing Microsoft Exchange security by using hidden folders in the Exchange mailboxes to store important BlackBerry user-related information. Therefore, the BlackBerry administration account must have an enabled mailbox. This mailbox is used to store BlackBerry administrative information such as the BlackBerry Enterprise Server names, BlackBerry user lists, the SRP ID (network connection information), and authentication keys.



In addition to the BlackBerry administration mailbox, Microsoft Exchange mailboxes that are associated with BlackBerry users are used to store individual BlackBerry information. Specific information in the user mailboxes includes individual BlackBerry user statistics, the personal identification number (PIN) of the user’s handheld, and the unique Triple-DES encryption key for encrypting and decrypting the user’s messages.

In situations in which users share the same computer, sensitive data such as keys or profile data is not compromised because data is stored on the Microsoft Exchange Server.

3. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server retrieves the message from the Microsoft Exchange Server. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server then queries the Microsoft Exchange Server for user preferences to determine whether or not to forward the message to the user’s handheld. If the message meets the criteria, the first portion of message text is stripped out; the message is compressed, is encrypted using the user’s unique encryption key, and is placed in the outgoing queue.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server The BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Microsoft Exchange establishes a secure, two-way link between the user’s Microsoft Exchange account and the user’s BlackBerry handheld. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server provides essential security features such as Triple-DES encryption, IT policies, and wireless IT commands.

After communication with the Microsoft Exchange Server is established, the BlackBerry Enterprise Server instructs the Microsoft Exchange Server to monitor BlackBerry user mailboxes for new mail items. When a BlackBerry user receives a new message in their Inbox, the Microsoft Exchange Server notifies the BlackBerry Enterprise Server in the same way that Microsoft Outlook® is notified, through Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI). The BlackBerry Enterprise Server retrieves a text copy of the message and compares the message to the IT-defined filters and user-defined filters. If the message meets the criteria for delivery, the message is compressed, encrypted, and sent to the handheld.

The BlackBerry Enterprise Server does not duplicate or change messages that are stored on the Microsoft Exchange Server, it simply forwards messages from the BlackBerry user’s inbox.

Before sending a message to the handheld, the BlackBerry Enterprise Server compresses and encrypts the message using a key that is unique to the handheld. When receiving a message from the BlackBerry handheld, the BlackBerry Enterprise Server decompresses and decrypts the message using the sender’s unique key. After it is decrypted, the message is placed in the user’s Outbox for delivery by the Microsoft Exchange Server.

The BlackBerry handheld supports attachments through the attachment service. The attachment service supports Excel, PowerPoint, Corel WordPerfect, Adobe PDF, and ASCII documents. Refer to the Attachment Service white paper for more information on the BlackBerry Attachment Service.

By encrypting and decrypting messages within the corporate firewall, the BlackBerry Enterprise Server verifies that messages remain encrypted from a sender who is within the corporate firewall to a receiver who is within the same organization and that end-to-end security between handheld and BlackBerry Enterprise Server is achieved.

Refer to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server version 3.5 for Microsoft Exchange technical white paper for more information on the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

4. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server maintains a constant, direct Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)-level connection to the wireless network via the Internet through the firewall through port 3101, allowing smooth, continuous delivery of data to and from the BlackBerry handheld.

Corporate firewall or proxy After the initial connection to the wireless network is established (via the Internet), it remains a persistent session for communication between the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and the wireless network to the BlackBerry handheld. Outbound traffic from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server has no destination other than



the BlackBerry handheld through the wireless network. Inbound traffic to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server from any origin other than the handheld or Microsoft Exchange Server is discarded.

The connection through port 3101 is designed to be secure in the following ways.

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The connection to the wireless network is outbound-initiated by the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and must be authenticated. No inbound traffic is permitted from any other source host.

All data traffic between the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and the user’s wireless handheld is encrypted using Triple-DES encryption. All data remains encrypted along the entire path from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server to the handheld or from the handheld to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. There is no staging location in which the data is decrypted and encrypted again. Therefore, all communications between the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and the handheld are protected from unauthorized third parties.

The BlackBerry Enterprise Server runs as a service under Windows NT®. The service only accepts data that it can decrypt using a valid encryption key. No communication of any kind can occur between the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and wireless network or handheld unless this condition is met. Because only the handheld and server have a valid encryption key, no commands are accepted from any outside source.

5. The wireless network routes the encrypted message to User 2’s BlackBerry handheld and delivers the encrypted message to the handheld.

6. The BlackBerry Wireless Handheld receives the decrypted message. The message is then decrypted and displayed on the handheld.

BlackBerry Wireless Handheld The BlackBerry Wireless Handheld is a key component of the BlackBerry solution. The BlackBerry family of handhelds include several features that secure information, while minimizing the need for user interaction.

The BlackBerry solution uses the Triple-DES encryption method to protect data while it is in transit between the BlackBerry Wireless Handheld and BlackBerry Enterprise Server. All messages that the BlackBerry Wireless Handheld sends or receives are Triple-DES encrypted. This encryption verifies that a BlackBerry message remains protected in transit to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server while it is outside the corporate firewall. The solution provides integrity and authenticity because the solution verifies the form of the decrypted and decompressed message before further processing it. If the form is not correct, the message might have been tampered with, and the message is rejected.

Users have the option of using a password to lock the handheld when it is not in use. The handheld password is an important feature for securing handheld data, and can be forced by system administrators through the use of an IT policy. When creating a password, the user must create a strong password without using repetition or excessive simplicity. Specifically, passwords are rejected by the handheld that consist of a natural sequence (such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) or identical characters.

The password is protected by storing only a hash of the password on the handheld. A hash is a mathematical function that takes a variable-length input string and converts it into a fixed-length numerical representation of the original value. The hash is known as a one-way function because it cannot be reversed easily by mathematical means to reveal the password value. Even if someone had access to the hash in the handheld’s memory, they would not be able to determine the password.

The user can also specify a security timeout, which indicates the number of inactive minutes that occur before the handheld locks. In version 3.6 or higher of the BlackBerry handheld software, users can set the handheld to lock when it is inserted into the holster. Locking the handheld when the user inserts it in the holster means that any data that is stored on the handheld remains safe in the event of a theft or loss. This locking can also be set through an IT policy. When the handheld locks, either from a security timeout or from a user command, the owner information is immediately displayed and access to data through the keyboard or serial/USB port is prevented until the user enters the correct password.

By default, a user is limited to ten password attempts on the BlackBerry handheld. If desired, the system administrator can change the value of this setting through an IT policy. If the user types the wrong password



ten times, the handheld memory is erased to make sure that the intruder does not gain access to the data. During this process, several warnings and safeguards are used to prevent the accidental entry of faulty passwords.

Java™-based BlackBerry handhelds

Java-based BlackBerry handhelds provide an open platform for third-party application development. In conjunction with the Mobile Data Service feature of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and the Java Development Environment, the BlackBerry solution enables the creation of wireless enterprise applications that give users access to corporate data.

BlackBerry handheld software version 3.6 or later enables users to download Java applications wirelessly, using the BlackBerry Browser. Refer to the Wireless Application Download technical advisory, for more information on downloading applications to the BlackBerry Wireless Handheld. The BlackBerry solution includes features to protect corporate data on the handheld and on the network, and additional security features minimize the potential risk from adding third-party applications to the handheld. Refer to the Application Security for Java-based BlackBerry Handhelds technical advisory, for more information on Java applications and security.

The BlackBerry Java Development Environment enables developers to create more powerful, sophisticated applications than are possible with standard Java 2 Micro Edition™ (J2ME™). Third-party BlackBerry applications can communicate with each other, share persistent storage, interact with native BlackBerry applications, and access user data such as calendar appointments, email messages, and contacts. This open and flexible framework for application development can increase security concerns. Those security concerns are addressed in two ways:

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third-party applications can only access persistent storage or user data, or communicate with other applications, through specific application programming interfaces (APIs)

applications that use these sensitive APIs must be digitally signed by RIM

To prevent malicious applications from gaining unauthorized access to data on the handheld, sensitive APIs on the BlackBerry Wireless Handheld are controlled by “code signing”—third-party applications that use these APIs must be digitally signed by RIM before they can be installed and run on a BlackBerry Wireless Handheld. The purpose of code signing is to provide an audit trail of the applications that use sensitive APIs. RIM does not inspect or in any way verify third-party applications. However, IT departments can use IT policy to block third-party applications from being loaded on the handheld.

Java-based BlackBerry handhelds are designed to prevent applications from causing problems, either accidentally or maliciously, in other applications or on the handheld. Applications that are based on the Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP), called MIDlets, cannot write to memory on the handheld that does not belong to the Java virtual machine (JVM). MIDlets cannot access the virtual memory of other applications, or the persistent data of another MIDlet application.



BlackBerry message routing: handheld to desktop The corporate mail server manages an email that is sent from a BlackBerry handheld the same way that it manages email that is sent from a desktop computer on the corporate network.

The following diagram illustrates the route that an email travels when it is sent from a BlackBerry Wireless Handheld to a user’s desktop computer:

BlackBerry messaging process: handheld to desktop 1. A message is created and sent from a BlackBerry Wireless Handheld.

In this case, User 2 responds to User 1’s message by composing an email on the handheld. The message is compressed, Triple-DES encrypted, and then sent over the wireless network. All messages that are created from a user’s handheld contain the necessary BlackBerry Enterprise Server routing information for the wireless network, making sure that the item is correctly delivered to the user’s BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

2. The message is routed to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (to which the user belongs) through the secure connection on port 3101.

The connection from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server to the wireless network (via the Internet) is a two-way TCP connection that only the BlackBerry handheld can initiate. Messages are directed to this secure connection by the wireless network through the routing information in the message.

3. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server receives the message and decrypts it using the unique Triple-DES encryption key. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server does not store a copy of the message.

4. After it is decrypted, the message is decompressed and sent to the Microsoft Exchange Server, where it is placed in the user’s Microsoft Exchange Outbox for delivery.

5. The message is delivered to User 1’s Outlook Inbox by Microsoft Exchange. The user receives notification that a new email message has arrived.

Note: The BlackBerry solution also supports the use of PIN and short message service (SMS) messaging. Refer to “PIN messaging” for more information on PIN and SMS messaging security.



BlackBerry security and the Mobile Data Service The BlackBerry end-to-end security model establishes a secure link between the BlackBerry Enterprise Server on the corporate network and the BlackBerry handheld. This communications channel, established to exchange data, can be leveraged to securely deploy corporate data beyond email to the handheld through the use of the Mobile Data Service feature of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

Refer to the BlackBerry Corporate Data Access white paper for more information on the Mobile Data Service.

Overview The Mobile Data Service leverages the architecture of the BlackBerry solution by providing mobile users with the same secure access to corporate data. This increased connectivity and access to vital corporate data increases user productivity while still maintaining the simple and secure access that has become synonymous with the BlackBerry solution.

The Mobile Data Service is an integrated feature of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server uses the Mobile Data Service to provide Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) connectivity between the wireless network and the enterprise intranet or Internet. Essentially, Mobile Data Service offers services to connect with corporate data, applications, and content.

BlackBerry security architecture including the Mobile Data Service

Security architecture Communication between the handheld and the corporate network uses the same Triple-DES encryption that is used for BlackBerry wireless email. HTTP over Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS) can also be used for additional security over the Internet.

When an application connects to the network using the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, communication between the handheld and the corporate network is Triple-DES encrypted automatically.

An HTTP connection can be set up over SSL/TLS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Sockets, or HTTPS) to provide additional authentication and security if an application accesses servers on the Internet. The handheld supports HTTPS communication in one of two modes, depending on corporate security requirements:

! Proxy mode SSL/TLS: The BlackBerry Enterprise Server sets up the SSL/TLS connection on behalf of the handheld. Communication over the wireless network between the handheld and BlackBerry Enterprise Server is not encrypted using SSL/TLS, but it is still Triple-DES encrypted. A point exists behind the corporate firewall where data is not encrypted.



Proxy mode SSL

! Handheld direct mode SSL/TLS: Data is encrypted over SSL/TLS for the entire connection between the handheld and the origin server. This type of connection is designed to be very secure, because data remains encrypted. This connection mode is supported for third party applications.

Handheld direct mode SSL

Which SSL/TLS option a network uses depends on the level of trust for the intermediate points in the connection. In proxy mode SSL, the user experiences faster response times, but the corporate IT administrator must be trusted with the data. Handheld direct mode SSL/TLS is appropriate when only the endpoints of the transaction are trusted (for example, with banking services).

Note: Handheld direct mode SSL is supported only for third party applications running on BlackBerry Wireless Handhelds with handheld software version 3.6 or later.

Wireless Transport Layer Security Wireless Transport Layer Security (WTLS) provides an extra layer of security for wireless applications that connect to a network via a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) gateway. WTLS requires a WAP gateway to provide standard WAP access to the Internet. To use a WAP gateway, a company must work with the network operator or service provider. WTLS is supported on the BlackBerry handheld software version 3.2.1 or later.



Refer to the BlackBerry Browser Technical Reference Guide for more information on using the BlackBerry Browser.

Note: BlackBerry handhelds for the Mobitex and DataTAC networks do not support WAP gateways.



Administering security In the past, personal devices, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), were difficult if not impossible for IT departments to manage. Even if they were deployed by the IT department, devices seldom contained the technology to track or monitor them effectively. With the advent of powerful new devices that can access and store more sensitive corporate data, controlling the security of these devices becomes a much more important issue. In the wrong hands, roaming devices with remote access to sensitive data could be dangerous.

With BlackBerry, a system administrator can monitor and control all BlackBerry handhelds from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server Management console. With BlackBerry Enterprise Server version 3.5 or later, BlackBerry incorporates an extremely high level of IT control available for wireless IT assets.

This control is accomplished using wireless IT commands and IT policy.

Wireless IT commands System administrators can control BlackBerry handhelds remotely using wireless IT commands. These commands are most commonly used on lost or stolen handhelds. The following wireless IT commands are available to system administrators:

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Erase all Application Data: This command erases all data that is stored on the BlackBerry handheld. If a handheld has been stolen or cannot be found, the system administrator can erase all information and application data remotely. The handheld cannot be used again until the software is loaded back onto the device.

Set a Password and Lock the Handheld: With this command, the system administrator creates a new password and locks the handheld remotely. If the user is uncertain of the handheld’s location, the system administrator can set a password (if one has not been set) and lock the handheld. The system administrator can then verbally communicate the new password to the user when the handheld is found.

Reset the Password and Lock the Handheld: If the user is in possession of the handheld but has forgotten the password, the system administrator can reset the password remotely and communicate the new password to the user.

Wireless IT commands enable system administrators to immediately respond to a lost or stolen handheld and protect confidential enterprise information.



IT policies for security settings IT policies enable system administrators to customize the features that are common to all BlackBerry handheld users on a given BlackBerry Enterprise Server, such as password details and convenience settings like mail forwarding options and browser settings. IT policies provide an efficient method for managing many different users simultaneously.

With wireless IT policy, custom settings can be enacted from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and immediately enforced on C++-based BlackBerry handhelds with handheld software version 2.5 or later and Java-based BlackBerry handhelds with handheld software version 3.6 or later.

Using the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, system administrators can set specific IT policies to define how users use the security settings that are included on BlackBerry handhelds and in the BlackBerry Desktop Manager.

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IT policies for security: The BlackBerry solution offers users many different security settings for the BlackBerry handheld and BlackBerry Desktop Manager. All BlackBerry user security settings can be defined by the system administrators. For example, administrators can set password settings such as whether or not a password is required, the length of time that a password can exist before it becomes invalid, as well the length and composition of a password. In addition, encryption key details can be specified using an IT policy.

Wireless policy deployment: All IT policies, including security settings, can be immediately applied using wireless delivery methods. This innovative feature is extremely important, because many handheld users are mobile workers who rarely synchronize their handhelds with the enterprise network. To accomplish wireless delivery of new policies, and immediate user adoption, IT policy settings are automatically written to the user configurations. To verify that the settings are always current, the BlackBerry Enterprise Server periodically transmits handheld settings to the handheld wirelessly.

Continuous updating of IT policies: All IT policies, including security settings, are updated on a regular basis. The BlackBerry Desktop Manager is updated each time that the software is online. The BlackBerry handheld is updated each time that the handheld is connected to the PC, as well as periodically through wireless policy deployment. With continuous updating, BlackBerry users quickly adopt new IT policies, including security settings.

Group policies: The IT policy feature enables a system administrator to create group specific policy settings. For example, a system administrator can create different policies for executives, and assign each executive to the group policy.

Refer to the Wireless IT Policy and IT Administration white paper for more information on IT policy.



PIN messaging PIN communication provides an alternative to email by using the handheld’s PIN as a means of handheld identification. Instead of sending a message to a recipient’s email address, the message is sent directly to the PIN of the recipient’s BlackBerry handheld. This enables a user to send a message directly to another user’s handheld, bypassing the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and the recipient’s corporate network.

The following diagram illustrates typical PIN messaging communication:

PIN messaging communication

In the PIN messaging model, all handhelds share a common encryption key that is loaded during manufacturing. Because the same key is found on every BlackBerry Wireless Handheld, the key is not considered to be secret. PIN messages are encrypted with Triple-DES, however the key to decrypt the message is available to everyone with a BlackBerry handheld. Therefore, PIN messaging is considered scrambled, but not encrypted.

Disabling PIN and SMS messaging Some organizations, may wish to track all communications for security or other purposes, and feel that it is important that all handheld messages are sent and received using email and Microsoft Exchange. To address this concern, a system administrator can disable the PIN functionality from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server version 3.5 or later using wireless IT policy. Wireless IT policy immediately disables PIN communication and restricts handheld use to email using Microsoft Exchange.

SMS messaging is available on some BlackBerry handhelds. System administrators can also disable SMS communications, in addition to PIN communications. This is also possible using wireless IT policy. By disabling PIN communication, and possibly SMS messaging, a system administrator can make sure that all handheld communication travels through the enterprise messaging environment.




Part number: WPE-00027-001

© 2003 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved. The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion, 'Always On, Always Connected', the “envelope in motion” symbol and the BlackBerry logo are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. The handheld and/or associated software are protected by copyright, international treaties and various patents, including one or more of the following U.S. patents: 6,278,442; 6,271,605; 6,219,694; 6,075,470; 6,073,318; D,445,428; D,433,460; D,416,256. Other patents are registered or pending in various countries around the world. Please visit www.rim.net/patents.shtml for a current listing of applicable patents.

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