MWC 2022: Hands On with BlackBerry KEYone Business Security Features
BARCELONA—BlackBerry is back in a big mode at Mobile World Congress this year, returning to its business-focused smartphone roots with the new BlackBerry KeyOne.
Yes, BlackBerry made a telephone again.
But is there a market for it in 2022? In an enterprise mural where corporations and institutions have long since migrated to Android devices and iPhones, the KeyOne needs to requite businesses a compelling reason to switch.
That'due south why nosotros hit the BlackBerry booth at MWC to dive deeper into what made BlackBerry devices the become-to smartphone for businesses and governments: security. Every bit we noted in our consumer easily-on of the device, the KeyOne has plenty of business organization flourishes including integrated Slack messaging, and of grade its capacitive physical keyboard with customizable shortcuts and a fingerprint sensor under the space bar. At the launch result, BlackBerry said it built security "into every layer of the KeyOne."
To exam that merits, we dug into the device settings, app-level permissions, encryption capabilities, and DTEK visibility dashboard app, and whatever other security setting or permission we could find.
A Deep Dive Into DTEK
The KeyOne runs Android vii.1 Nougat, which includes Os-level features like Direct Boot and file-based encryption. The phone besides gets monthly Android security updates, downloaded automatically. But beyond the congenital-in Android features, most of the KeyOne'southward security, privacy settings, and permissions run through DTEK.
DTEK, an earlier version of which came with the BlackBerry Priv, is a visibility dashboard into the security status of your telephone, allowing y'all to adjust settings and fine-time security parameters. The first thing I saw when I opened the DTEK app is a large device security status meter with red, yellowish, and light-green gauge colors (above). I was testing an unlocked demo phone, so a POOR condition wasn't a surprise.
Below that, y'all tin start scrolling through the settings list, which includes a blue check mark or an "X" on a red shield icon that signals whether that parameter is secure. In the Apps and Permissions section (which had a bank check), I scrolled through to see all the available apps (calendar, camera, contacts, Google Play, messages, etc.) and searched by permissions to check which apps had access to the agenda, microphone, location, SMS, and more.
DTEK too tracks overall operating system integrity, and gives you the pick to turn remote management on and off through Android Device Manager. The device manager gives you some more than device-level management features such as geolocating the phone, making the device ring, remotely locking the device, and wiping the data.
Scrolling further downward into the DTEK checklist, I also constitute security options including the power to set up a custom unlock combination of countersign, PIN, and fingerprint biometrics. Multiple two-cistron authentication options is a strong feature. I also found a "Trusted app sites" setting, which adds an additional layer of security atop Google Play vetting to scan for malicious apps before download. According to BlackBerry, the KeyOne is too fix to go through full US regime certification processes in order to be usable by the Department of Defence force.
What About EMM?
Outside of DTEK, I likewise plant another array of security features in the primary device settings. This is where you lot can swipe to enable event logging, which tracks device activity, and encrypts and stores it locally. This is essentially where you're enabling the DTEK app to assemble all the security data it needs. In the main KeyOne device settings, I also had the ability to fix upwardly a SIM card lock, make passwords visible or hide them, and view or deactivate device administrators.
Many of the KeyOne's features affect mobile device management (MDM), merely one thing I didn't detect in this launch version is deeper enterprise mobility management (EMM) integration. From an It management and corporate compliance perspective, BlackBerry has a golden opportunity to double downward on its enterprise selling point with the KeyOne past marrying the hardware with built-in Practiced Technology Secure EMM Suite capabilities.
BlackBerry bought EMM provider Good Engineering in 2022 for $425 million. I asked several BlackBerry execs near a deeper integration on the EMM side for business IT departments, only they didn't have much more item on potential crossover. That'south non terribly surprising, equally the KeyOne was developed as part of the BlackBerry hardware brand of Chinese smartphone manufacturer TCL. Though during the launch proclamation, BlackBerry touted the collaboration between TCL and BlackBerry Ltd. (formerly RIM) on the software side.
If BlackBerry and TCL want whatever adventure of seeing meaningful enterprise adoption of the KeyOne, they should showtime with BlackBerry'due south existing EMM customers. Offering deeper awarding and device-level integration with the company's MDM platform would make life easier on the Information technology section, and give company CTOs and CISOs a reason to become to bat for the smartphone. For an enterprise tech company with a new piece of mobile hardware to complement its portfolio of enterprise software, information technology'll be interesting to meet if they can put it all together.
Nearly Rob Marvin
Source: https://sea.pcmag.com/mobile-phones/14329/mwc-2017-hands-on-with-blackberry-keyone-business-security-features
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