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BlackBerry Launches Super-Secure BBM Protected

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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BlackBerry is upping the security of its BBM messaging service for enterprises.

The Canadian company on Monday launched BBM Protected, the first solution in its recently announced eBBM Suite for "secure enterprise-class messaging." The service offers an additional layer of encryption for BBM messages and is geared towards regulated and highly security-conscious organizations like banks, governments, law firms, and healthcare providers.

With BBM Protected, BlackBerry provides separate encryption keys for each message sent rather than one key for an entire conversation. A hacker would need to crack the code for each message and then string them together to see the whole chat rather than cracking one code to snoop on your entire conversation.

The first time two BBM Protected users try to chat, they'll be required to share a secret passphrase to authenticate their identities and generate the encryption keys used to secure the conversation. BlackBerry said BBM Protected is the most secure mobile instant messaging app out there.

"BBM Protected is the only secure mobile instant messaging app that uses a FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic library," BlackBerry said in a statement. "BBM Protected enables employees to use the same app to securely message colleagues inside the company for work as they do to chat and share with family and friends outside the company."

The only downside is that the new technology only works on BlackBerry smartphones at the moment. It's now available for BlackBerry phones running BlackBerry OS 6.0 or later or BlackBerry 10 in Regulated mode. Versions for Android, iOS, and BlackBerry 10 smartphones in Work/Personal Balance mode are expected "later this year."

"We've been testing BBM Protected on behalf of our customers and have been impressed so far," Zekeria Oezdemir, technical director of contract manufacturer NovaLink, said in a statement. "BBM Protected is the ideal solution for our banking and insurance customers who have increased security needs."

For more on how BBM Protected works, check out the video below.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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