Extending messaging security using S/MIME encryption

You can extend messaging security for the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution and permit a BlackBerry device user to send and receive S/MIME-protected email messages and S/MIME-protected PIN messages on a BlackBerry device.

To extend messaging security, you or the BlackBerry device user must install the S/MIME Support Package for BlackBerry smartphones on the BlackBerry device and transfer the S/MIME private key of the BlackBerry device user to the BlackBerry device. The S/MIME Support Package for BlackBerry smartphones is designed to work with email applications such as Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Outlook Express, and IBM® Lotus Notes®, and with PKIs such as Netscape, Entrust Authority Security Manager version 5 and later, and Microsoft certification authorities.

The BlackBerry device user uses the S/MIME private key to decrypt S/MIME-protected messages on the BlackBerry device and to sign, encrypt, and send S/MIME-protected messages from the BlackBerry device. If the BlackBerry Enterprise Server receives an S/MIME-encrypted message but the BlackBerry device user did not install the S/MIME Support Package for BlackBerry smartphones, the BlackBerry Enterprise Server sends a message to the BlackBerry device to indicate that the BlackBerry device does not support S/MIME-encrypted messages.

After the BlackBerry device user installs the S/MIME Support Package for BlackBerry smartphones, the BlackBerry device user can synchronize and manage S/MIME certificates and S/MIME private keys using the certificate synchronization tool of the BlackBerry Desktop Manager. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server does not apply an appended disclaimer to S/MIME-protected messages that the BlackBerry device user sends from the BlackBerry device. Digital signatures on S/MIME-protected messages that the BlackBerry device sends are not valid if disclaimers are appended to the messages.

To require the BlackBerry device user to use S/MIME encryption when forwarding or replying to messages, you can configure the S/MIME Force Digital Signature IT policy rule and the S/MIME Force Encrypted Messages IT policy rule.