5월 19, 2021

BlackBerry SecuSUITE and Samsung Knox: Partnering for Classified Communications

Carsten Michel, Blackberry

Your smartphone is a universal communication tool and a platform that helps drive collaboration around sensitive topics, from the personal, all the way up to top-tier communication such as corporate conversations around financial and intellectual property data, and even military secrets. As a result, smartphones are an appealing target for nation-state intelligence agencies and others intent on malicious exploits.

As the capabilities of mobile devices increase, so do potential attack scenarios. While this introduces new opportunities for rogue operators, eavesdropping on mobile phone calls and spoofing text communications are still among the easiest ways to gain access to sensitive information. Ill-intentioned governments and other bad actors are always on the lookout for new targets and tactics, so it’s imperative that organizations deploy the highest grade security solutions to protect their private communications.

The ways governments and businesses protect themselves from attacks on mobile devices has shifted in recent times. In the past, organizations deployed expensive, dedicated devices that included tools for secure voice encryption, which were primarily issued to senior executives or distributed from a loaner pool. Today, end-users all the way up the corporate ladder can have access to a fully-featured smartphone experience on a secure communications device. BlackBerry and Samsung have partnered to address these evolving requirements with mobile secure communications solutions.

 

Introducing SecuSUITE for Government

SecuSUITE® for Government is the BlackBerry solution for military grade encrypted mobile calls. It delivers a high-quality, secure voice experience and can also be integrated with PBX systems, enabling users to reach fixed-line extensions within their organization securely. SecuSUITE for Government also incorporates secure messaging, which allows users to share confidential content seamlessly with individuals or groups from a single, highly intuitive app.

Installed in the Android Enterprise Container, the SecuSUITE for Government client app benefits from Samsung's advanced device security and management features such as Dual Data-At-Rest, available with the Knox Platform Enterprise and Knox E-FOTA One, Samsung’s device firmware management solution. Samsung devices secured in this way are qualified for Classified Use in defined configurations, MACP (U.S.) or MCCP (CN). Samsung Knox together with the NIAP-certified SecuSUITE for Government, is an optimal solution for global government and corporate users. SecuSUITE for Government is available for On-Premises installation, in the BlackBerry cloud, or the Steelbox™ FedRAMP certified Secure Voice and Text App by CACI International Inc. in America.

 

BlackBerry and Samsung: Better Together

BlackBerry has enjoyed a longstanding partnership with Samsung to deliver secure end-to-end mobility solutions trusted by enterprises around the world. BlackBerry and Samsung have collaborated to develop optimized solutions that extend military grade security to an extensive portfolio of mobile devices, and SecuSUITE® is a component of this.

SecuSUITE® for Samsung Knox is an optimized solution which complies with the German Government’s strict requirements for classified communications. It allows government employees to exchange classified information with their colleagues through multiple channels, including end-to-end crystal-clear encrypted phone calls. It also allows presentations, edited on the mobile device, to be shared via email across the solutions’ secure VPN link through the governments’ data center.

Users also benefit from access to optional personal apps downloaded from the Google Play™ store but isolated from the secure space. With COVID-19 still a threat and work from home requirements still firmly in place, remote work is enabled by leveraging Samsung DeX and SecuSUITE to deliver flexible, full featured mobile workstations with secure business applications and access to classified data from any location. Customers who deploy Virtual Desktop Infrastructure solutions (VDI) can even offer their users a full Windows® experience for classified use. SecuSUITE for Samsung Knox allows government agencies in Germany to deploy Samsung smartphones and tablets with approval to utilize a wide range of day-to-day and mission critical communications and applications related to classified data.

“Samsung has a long history of providing defense-grade security that protects classified and confidential information while ensuring team collaboration in government and corporate environments,” says James Pak, Vice President and Head of B2B Partnerships at Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “Samsung Knox combined with BlackBerry’s SecuSUITE work together to deliver a more powerful and secure foundation for enterprise mobility, especially as the world deploys new 5G use cases.”

 

SecuSUITE: Highly Secure Communications Technology

BlackBerry SecuSUITE and Samsung join forces to deliver a rich smartphone experience while seamlessly integrating into corporate phone networks and PBXs to provide full featured encrypted voice communications, at a cost that supports broad deployments. BlackBerry has invested heavily in the solution to ensure the communications technology behind SecuSUITE meets the highest standards for security and reliability, but don’t take our word for it. SecuSUITE is certified by the National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP), approved by the National Security Agency’s Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) program, and complies with the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS). Visit here for a full list of certifications.

In addition to SecuSUITE, BlackBerry has developed a comprehensive unified endpoint security (UES) platform designed to provide complete protection of corporate assets including devices, networks, and people. The BlackBerry® Cyber Suite uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to prevent, detect, and respond to cyberattacks in enterprises of all sizes and across all industries. It continuously authenticates users and dynamically adapts security policies to deliver a zero touch experience that improves security with no user interruption.

If you are in the U.S., please contact secusuite.sales@blackberry.com for more information.

For information enquiries from other countries, please contact sales@secusmart.de.