BlackBerry vows to send Android security updates on a monthly basis for the BlackBerry PRIV, ensuring protected handsets.
Earlier this year, Google started to publish Android vulnerabilities every month, releasing monthly security fixes for its Nexus devices. After such developments, both popular Android device makers LG and Samsung also started to roll out patches monthly, and BlackBerry is now joining in.
"BlackBerry will release these monthly updates to users that have purchased PRIV through shopblackberry.com and to PRIV resellers (carriers and other authorized dealers) that have agreed to participate in our regular monthly update program and facilitate rapid approval of our monthly updates for over-the-air (OTA) to subscribers," David Kleidermacher, chief security officer at BlackBerry, says in a blog post.
BlackBerry PRIV users will receive the security updates as soon as the Waterloo phone manufacturer gets them ready. To get ahead, the company will develop the patches before Google publicly discloses the vulnerabilities. Take note, however, that PRIV units bought from carriers or authorized dealers might not get the fixes at the same time, as the unit providers must agree to participate with the program first, which is mentioned earlier.
Fortunately, BlackBerry will bypass the carrier's approval when a critical issue is actively ongoing, sending out an immediate hotfix. This means that when an important patch needs to launch, everyone will be getting it.
"[T]here are cases where we will apply this over-the-air fix, without carrier approval, if we deem it necessary," Kleidermacher tells ZDNet in a follow-up phone call.
Moving forward, businesses will be able to manage BlackBerry updates as well with the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, allowing a company's IT professionals to first test patches out before deploying them to guarantee compatibility.
It seems that the BlackBerry PRIV will be a secure handset as long as BlackBerry keeps its promise. In any case, it's great to hear that the Waterloo phone maker is dedicated to improving PRIV users' experience.
