There are lots of lists out there of things you should do to protect your privacy: Use an ad blocker. Use encryption. Use a VPN. Turn off the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on your smartphone… Those who want privacy but don’t want to run through that checklist regularly are the target buyers for a new smartphone that will come with these types of privacy and security features built in. Called Blackphone, it has encrypted messaging from Silent Circle, encrypted data storage from SpiderOak, anti-tracking services from Disconnect, and anti-WiFi sniffing from Kizmet (to prevent your phone being used by retailers to track your movements). Those who want easy smartphone privacy will need to be willing to slap down $629 for it, the price tag on the phone that’s expected to be released in April.
The Silent Circle founder and PGP creator, Phil Zimmerman. In a video on Blackphone’s website said
I had to wait for the rest of the technology infrastructure to catch up to make it possible to do secure telephony. PGP was kind of a detour for me while waiting for the rest of the technology to catch up to make really good secure telephony possible.
BlackBerry has been quite during the Blackphone deal but over on the BlackBerry biz blog they have said reasons it’s not good for business.
Consumer Targeted
As this review points out, the Blackphone was designed chiefly for consumers. The product’s target market sweet spot appears to be individuals — not necessarily affiliated with an enterprise — requiring eavesdrop-proof communications. The Blackphone appears to be designed to operate outside the realm of IT oversight.
It’s currently unclear if the Blackphone will support the logging and archiving of business communications conducted on the smartphone, an unacceptable condition for regulated organizations, such as financial services and healthcare firms.
Blackphone’s go-it-alone approach to security contrasts dramatically with BlackBerry’s end-to-end enterprise mobility management (EMM) solution. The BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 (BES10) platform provides IT with a single console for managing corporate-issued or personal BlackBerry, iOS and Android devices. BBM Protected also enables CIOs to rest assured that their workers are messaging each other securely and privately. By infusing security and control within every segment – device, EMM server and network – of the end-to-end digital journey, BlackBerry has attracted the business of some of the most security conscious and highly regulated organizations in the world.
Productivity Trade-offs
The maker of Blackphone proudly proclaims its laser-like focus on privacy. This from their website:
“In a world where devices and apps increasingly offer features only in return for users’ personal or sensitive information, the pent-up demand for Blackphone shows there is strong, international demand for our brand’s devices and services that stand apart by placing privacy before all else.”
BlackBerry’s similar preoccupation with protecting user privacy is apparent through features like BlackBerry Balance andBlackBerry Guardian. BlackBerry Balance comes standard on all BlackBerry 10 devices and automatically separates personal data and applications from enterprise data, giving users the best BYOD experience on the market. We pioneered the concept of giving users the ability to control mobile application permissions and combined the BlackBerry Guardian vetting tools with Trend Micro’s expertise to protect users from malicious applications.
We also recognize that worker productivity and end-user satisfaction are just as important as privacy and security. Enterprise-grade mobile security must provide ironclad protection of behind-the-server data without impeding employee productivity or negatively impacting usability. When it comes to fully realizing the benefits of enterprise mobility, a hierarchical approach to privacy, productivity and usability just doesn’t work.
Enterprise Grade Security
Everybody should be confident that their electronic communications are kept private and their mobile devices safe from siphoning by malicious hackers. For individuals, a costly Blackphone may fall short of delivering the desired peace of mind.
For enterprises, security that stops at the device isn’t secure enough. When it comes to enterprise security – in a Pre- or Post-Snowden environment – the protection offered by BlackBerry’s end-to-end EMM solution makes the most attractive features of the Blackphone superfluous.
