BlackBerry 10 passes DISA’s 'full operational' tests
The smartphone becomes the first to receive FOC certification.
The BlackBerry 10 has become the first mobile device to receive a Full Operational Capability (FOC) designation from the Defense Information Systems Agency, the company announced.
The new designation, which completes BlackBerry’s DOD security certification process, means that the BlackBerry system has met all requirements set forth by DISA, and that BlackBerry 10s will continue to run on Defense Department networks. BlackBerry 10 originally was awarded Authority to Operate in Aug. 2013 – becoming at that time the first mobile device management (MDM) provider to attain that certification.
Government users of the smartphone that are connected with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 can access email, data, apps and other DOD network resources.
The smartphone comes with a feature called BlackBerry Balance that allows users to separate work data and personal data and switch between work and personal profiles. According to the company, the BlackBerry 10 is the only DOD-approved smartphones with this feature.
“BlackBerry worked side-by-side with DISA to help certify the BlackBerry 10 solution offering the U.S. government an end-to-end mobile infrastructure that does not compromise on security and provides the most productive and collaborative mobile experience,” said John Sims, President of Global Enterprise Services at BlackBerry.
The BES10 Secure Work Space also was approved for iOS and Android devices earlier this week, when it the Federal Information Processing Standard 140-2 certification from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, reports Information Week. That certification is used to authorize products that collect, store, and transfer sensitive government information. The Secure Work Space gives iOS and Android users an experience similar to BlackBerry Balance – a secured application would enable users to access their work email, calendar, notes, and tasks. The app would also use the BES10 management console, which allows administrators to interact with secured data on a device.
The certification has come after a rough start of the year for BlackBerry. A misreporting of a DOD announcement briefly boosted BlackBerry stocks in January 2014 and the Air Force recently announced that it would be swapping some BlackBerry devices for Apple iOS devices.