BlackBerry Secure Work Space For iOS And Android To Separate Data

BlackBerry has announced an update to BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 (BES) that will allow administrators to separate work and personal data on iOS and Android smartphones running on corporate networks.

BlackBerry Secure Work Space promises to emulate some of the functions of BlackBerry Balance, which is an integral part of BlackBerry 10, and allows enterprises to have control over confidential data while still providing employees with a fully functioning smartphone.

BlackBerry Balance effectively creates two different profiles on any device, with administrators able to create their own application store that host custom apps as well as software from the public BlackBerry App World that has been approved for use in the workspace. Once approved, these applications can interact with other work apps and secure data.

BlackBerry Secure Work Space

Secure Work Space will operate slightly differently, but will provide secured client applications for email, calendar, contacts, tasks, memos, secure browsing and document editing, while additional apps can be secured and added to the workplace without the need to modify the source code

The Canadian manufacturer claims that the update will save its enterprise customers effort and expense as they will no longer have to configure and maintain expensive VPNs to provide access to data and applications behind a corporate firewall. It hopes that its reputation for mobile security and management will tempt companies who operate in a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environment.

A closed beta test has been launched, with the feature set to be rolled out to BES 10 users in the second quarter of 2013.

“With BlackBerry Balance technology, we offer the industry’s only true compromise-free separation of work and personal data and applications,” said David J Smith, executive vice president of Enterprise Mobile Computing at BlackBerry. “With Secure Work Space for iOS and Android devices, we’re extending as many of these features as possible to other platforms, critical in today’s BYOD world.

Security credentials

“BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 offers administrators a single, intuitive platform enabling them to effectively and securely manage a variety of devices while protecting their corporate assets and at the same time providing employees the flexibility they desire.”

BlackBerry has been keen to stress the security credentials of its BlackBerry 10 platform in an effort to retain and attract new enterprise customers. Its smartphones have long been favoured by government agencies as they meet the strict security requirements, but this advantage has been eroded by rival platforms which have improved their security standards, while BlackBerrys have become increasingly undesirable.

However, the positive reception that has met the BlackBerry Z10 and the new operating system has encouraged many to give BlackBerry another chance. The German government and the Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust (BSMHFT) are among those who have recently placed significant orders.

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