Waterloo, Ont.-based BlackBerry continues to make headlines as it announced it’s working with security vendor Trend Micro to expand the protection it already provides to BlackBerry users against malware and privacy issues related to third-party applications.
As part of a multi-level and phased approach for addressing privacy implications and security concerns, BlackBerry will incorporate the Trend Micro Mobile Application Reputation Service with its current internal, proprietary system for analyzing applications.
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With the cloud-based Trend Micro Mobile Application Reputation Service, both current and new applications submitted to the BlackBerry World storefront will be scanned for potential malicious behaviour.
Adrian Stone, the director of BlackBerry Security Response and Threat Analysis team, said the company is working with Trend Micro to implement a more robust approach for addressing privacy and security concerns related to third-party applications. By incorporating Trend Micro’s mobile scanning and detection capabilities with BlackBerry’s internal, proprietary application analyzing system, the company can provide another layer of protection and assurance for BlackBerry customers. Together, BlackBerry and Trend Micro are developing a solution for protecting BlackBerry customers against emerging mobile security concerns.
Kevin Simzer, Vice President of Corporate Development and Alliances, Trend Micro, said the volume of malicious and high-risk mobile apps are on the rise across the industry. With the speed that cybercriminals are targeting new platforms and applications, Trend Micro and BlackBerry’s strategic collaboration is natural and timely for the security of end users. Together, the two companies can further secure and enhance BlackBerry customers’ mobile experience.
For example, Trend Micro has scanned and evaluated more than two million mobile applications. Mobile Application Reputation Service is Trend Micro’s next generation cloud-based technology for mobile operating systems that analyzes application code and behaviour to identify risks from malware and data leaks. It also detects the abuse of battery, memory, and data resources. This service leverages the Trend Micro Smart Protection Network, which is an infrastructure service created by the Cupertino, Calif.-based security vendor. This service provides mobile app reputation ratings and is built on an “in-the-cloud,” technology that can align with cloud-based security services such as the Mobile Application Reputation Service. The company, who has its main Canadian office in Ottawa, has a strategy where by checking URLs, emails, files, and applications against continuously updated and correlated threat databases, customers and channel partners have immediate access to the latest protection.