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.