The highly secure device could have been exploited, were it not for the responsible disclosure by a security researcher.
Any modern device is made up of multiple hardware and software components, any one of which could represent a potential risk. That's a reality that secure mobile phone vendor Silent Circle has learned with its Blackphone, thanks to the responsible security disclosure from Tim Strazzere, director of mobile research at SentinelOne.
A battle royale between secure phone vendors has erupted with BlackBerry hitting back at Silent Circle, maker of Blackphone.
In an official blog post on BlackBerry’s website, its chief security officer David Kleidermacher has responded to Silent Circle’s claim that BlackBerry’s security was “very much like it was done in 2007”.
KPN’s CIO Jaya Baloo wants everyone to “live long, laugh a lot, and encrypt everything.”
Speaking at the International NCSC One Conference at the Hague, Baloo said encryption was essential for protecting the freedom of expression.
A recently fixed vulnerability in the BlackPhone instant messaging application gave attackers the ability to decrypt messages, steal contacts, and control vital functions of the device, which is marketed as a more secure way to protect communications from government and criminal snoops.
Blackphone handsets can download and install a major software update today – ahead of the opening of an online store for privacy-focused apps for the mobes.
The Blackphone runs its own hardened version of Android, dubbed PrivatOS, on custom hardware. It allows owners to make and send encrypted calls and texts, among other security features.
When the Blackphone team arrived at Def Con last week, they knew they were stepping into a lion’s den. In fact, that's exactly why they were there. The first generation Blackphone from SGP Technologies has been shipping for just over a month, and the company’s delegation to DefCon—including Silent Circle Chief Technology Officer Jon Callas and newly hired SGP Technologies Chief Security Officer Dan Ford—was looking to both reach a natural customer base and get help with further locking down the device.
IF there’s a symbol for the idea that privacy is on people’s minds, it’s the Blackphone.
The Blackphone, which went on sale this week for $629, is billed as the first smartphone built solely with privacy and security in mind. It is definitely more secure than your average phone, but comes with trade-offs that most consumers might not need or enjoy. It’s probably best for reporters, dissidents and companies concerned with corporate security.
Based on some recent experience, I'm of the opinion that smartphones are about as private as a gas station bathroom. They're full of leaks, prone to surveillance, and what security they do have comes from using really awkward keys. While there are tools available to help improve the security and privacy of smartphones, they're generally intended for enterprise customers. No one has had a real one-stop solution: a smartphone pre-configured for privacy that anyone can use without being a cypherpunk.
The Blackphone security-focused smartphone will go on the market in three weeks and “a few thousand” have already been sold through pre-orders, executives from the device’s makers say.
The new "Blackphone" smartphone may have only debuted at last week's Mobile World Congress but concerns are already being raised that it will be targeted by hackers and the NSA.
Spanish start-up Geeksphone, Silent Circle and Pretty Good Privacy announced the Blackphone at the technology exhibition in Barcelona last week, with STMicro later demonstrating its own security-focused smartphone, the Boeing Black.
