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Cape Town - BlackBerry might be under pressure due to the rise of Android smartphones and Apple iPhone devices, but the company is seeing adoption of its devices by people concerned about security.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has joined a list of growing world leaders who are using BlackBerry devices. US President Barack Obama is well known for using a bespoke BlackBerry smartphone.
Merkel's administration ordered 5 000 BlackBerry Z10s in late 2013 after revelations that her phone was hacked.
The revelations by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden caused tension in Berlin as well as in Brasilia, with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff going so far as to propose an alternate internet that bypasses US servers.
Security has also been highlighted with the launch and recent shipping of the SGP Technologies SA Blackphone.
Legal malware
The device is encrypted out of the box and boasts private communications across voice and data networks, as well as the ability to wipe data remotely in the event that the phone is lost.
BlackBerry CEO John Chen has taken a dig at competitor platforms (Duncan Alfreds, Fin24)
Google, Apple and Samsung have been hurt by reports that their devices can be compromised and a security company report found that legal malware could be used to target smartphone users.
Kaspersky Lab, working in conjunction with Citizen Lab, identified the infrastructure used to control malware implants remotely.
The legal malware, known as Galileo, was developed by Italian company HackingTeam and includes a number of Trojans that can infect both Android and iOS.
Galileo command and control centres (C&C) were mapped in over 40 countries with the majority of servers in the US, Kazakhstan, Ecuador, the UK and Canada.
Kaspersky found there were 320 servers actively processing the malware and victims included activists and human rights advocates, as well as journalists and politicians.
Google recently announced it would incorporate Samsung's Knox into Android to improve security.
BlackBerry CEO John Chen was quick to slam the development.
"While we applaud Google and Samsung for their plans, we don't think it's enough for security-minded enterprises. Instead, look to companies that have literally invested three decades into advancing the twin causes of security and productivity. In other words, don't be dazzled by those who can talk the security talk.
"Instead, look to the company that has proven repeatedly it can walk the walk," Chen wrote on the official BlackBerry blog.
- Follow Duncan on Twitter
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has joined a list of growing world leaders who are using BlackBerry devices. US President Barack Obama is well known for using a bespoke BlackBerry smartphone.
Merkel's administration ordered 5 000 BlackBerry Z10s in late 2013 after revelations that her phone was hacked.
The revelations by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden caused tension in Berlin as well as in Brasilia, with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff going so far as to propose an alternate internet that bypasses US servers.
Security has also been highlighted with the launch and recent shipping of the SGP Technologies SA Blackphone.
Legal malware
The device is encrypted out of the box and boasts private communications across voice and data networks, as well as the ability to wipe data remotely in the event that the phone is lost.
BlackBerry CEO John Chen has taken a dig at competitor platforms (Duncan Alfreds, Fin24)
Google, Apple and Samsung have been hurt by reports that their devices can be compromised and a security company report found that legal malware could be used to target smartphone users.
Kaspersky Lab, working in conjunction with Citizen Lab, identified the infrastructure used to control malware implants remotely.
The legal malware, known as Galileo, was developed by Italian company HackingTeam and includes a number of Trojans that can infect both Android and iOS.
Galileo command and control centres (C&C) were mapped in over 40 countries with the majority of servers in the US, Kazakhstan, Ecuador, the UK and Canada.
Kaspersky found there were 320 servers actively processing the malware and victims included activists and human rights advocates, as well as journalists and politicians.
Google recently announced it would incorporate Samsung's Knox into Android to improve security.
BlackBerry CEO John Chen was quick to slam the development.
"While we applaud Google and Samsung for their plans, we don't think it's enough for security-minded enterprises. Instead, look to companies that have literally invested three decades into advancing the twin causes of security and productivity. In other words, don't be dazzled by those who can talk the security talk.
"Instead, look to the company that has proven repeatedly it can walk the walk," Chen wrote on the official BlackBerry blog.
- Follow Duncan on Twitter
