BlackBerry Intelligent Security enables flexible security policy

BlackBerry launched a new unified endpoint management platform called BlackBerry Intelligent Security that enables security policies to be either more flexible or more rigid, depending on whether the user is in the office or traveling in a high-risk location.

According to BlackBerry, the new service -- built on the BlackBerry Spark platform -- uses machine learning and authentication to secure users and IoT endpoints based on risk and context obtained from analyzing users' data.

According to the vendor, BlackBerry Intelligent Security verifies users and their data according to mobile, geographic, biometric and behavioral factors. It then determines a risk score that, in turn, modifies the security policy for the user.

The platform can also identify behavioral and location patterns of multiple users to determine location risk, according to BlackBerry. The system can, for example, identify a work location if repeated patterns of employees are recorded in the same place, or it can also preload known locations according to the enterprise's preference.

Unified endpoint management platforms are known to provide security and ease of management for computers, laptops and mobile devices in the enterprise from a single console, but integrating UEM tools, especially for larger organizations, can be challenging due to the time and cost of upgrading legacy equipment.

Although enterprises are increasingly adopting UEM technology, the UEM market is relatively new and tough to navigate. Gartner identified BlackBerry as a leader in its Magic Quadrant for UEM Tools, alongside market competitors VMware, Microsoft, IBM and MobileIron, among others.

According to the vendor, BlackBerry Intelligent Security uses the following factors to decide what level of access should be given to an employee or contractor profile:

• Behavioral location looks at the frequency and pattern of users, based on predictive analysis of anonymized location data, to determine a location-based risk score.
• Network Trust determines the frequency of network use and adjusts security based on that profile. Accessing public Wi-Fi for the first time would affect the risk score accordingly.
• Time & Usage Anomalies integrates with other identity providers and systems to enable data to be shared securely and easily.
• Device and App DNA determines whether the Device and Apps are compliant and up to date and modifies the security policy based on the Device and App DNA profile.

The offering by BlackBerry intends to enhance UX with flexible security policy adoption, while increasing endpoint security by preventing device or app cloning and detecting and remediating user behaviors that likely lead to data loss. For some enterprises, it might also reduce costs because the system is built on existing investments in the BlackBerry UEM, BlackBerry Dynamics and BlackBerry Enterprise Identity platforms.