Back in August of last year, BlackBerry revealed that the company was in talks with various global smartphone makers to provide its version of a secure Android operating system under a licensing deal as part of the second phase of its licensing strategy.
BlackBerry today announced it has signed a technology and brand licensing deal for “BlackBerry Secure” with Swiss consumer electronics maker, Punkt Tronics AG.
The new agreement enables Punkt to bring to market a range of highly-secure products which will embed BlackBerry cybersecurity technology, be certified as BlackBerry Secure, and be shipped ready to safely and securely connect to home and enterprise networks.
To secure a phone, BlackBerry says it gets involved in the manufacturing process to sign and inject encrypted keys that allow the hardware and software to verify that it hasn’t been tampered with.
The company says it has “hardened” the Linux Kernel that Android runs on top of and fully encrypts the system’s storage
“If 2017 has taught us anything it is that every device needs to be secured because any vulnerability will be found and exploited,” said Alex Thurber, SVP and GM of Mobility Solutions, BlackBerry.
“With cybersecurity becoming a concern for every household and enterprise, savvy manufacturers like Punkt are recognizing the value of protecting the integrity of their innovations and the resonance our brand has with consumers who are increasingly anxious about the security of the products they choose to bring into their homes and lives.”
Petter Neby, CEO and Founder, Punkt added,
“At Punkt we’re focused on using technology to help us adopt good habits for less distracted lives, and we do this with carefully designed and elegantly crafted products,”
“By incorporating BlackBerry’s security technology into our premium products, we can now offer customers the highest level of security, without compromising on the simple, modern design they love.”
According to BlackBerry, a BlackBerry Secure license provides product manufacturers with a deeply embedded security solution that comprises BlackBerry’s proprietary software and applications. Products built with components from the BlackBerry Secure software platform will have best-in-class security that helps safeguard end-user privacy and protects enterprises from attackers looking to exploit device vulnerabilities.
