Saved by BlackBerry?
by Volker Weber
While BlackBerry fans around the world rejoice, let's take a look at the original NYT reporting:
Sony shut down all computer systems shortly thereafter, including those in overseas offices, leaving the company in the digital dark ages: no voice mail, no corporate email, no production systems.
A handful of old BlackBerrys, located in a storage room in the Thalberg basement, were given to executives. Staff members began to trade text messages using hastily arranged phone trees.
What happened here is that Sony Picture's IT infrastructure was destroyed. BlackBerry was not the safe castle that survived. It was just old technology burried deep down in the basement and therefore survived the fire.
Sony's failure was insecure procedures. They would have lost their BlackBerry infrastructure just the same, if only it had still been running. Repeat after me: security is not a product you can buy. It's a discipline.
Comments
I've read in another source, that the BlackBerrys were connected to a different mail system. Maybe we see another "saviour" in addition.
More likely, the reporter assumes messaging and email are the same thing.
Further on your point about discipline, reading the NYT article:
"Sony’s already lean technical staff began working around the clock"
"the F.B.I. found that the hackers had used digital techniques to steal the credentials and passwords from a systems administrator who had maximum access to Sony’s computer systems"
--> Staff probably too lean to implement secure processes, no segregation of duties, ..., nada. Having the required discipline includes having the required organization, i.e. sufficient knowledgeable staff (perm or at least temp). Although it is not a product, security still has a price.
This is again because of the quality of the BES Server.
BlackBerry's current challenge is to ensure that their Software Enterprise Business develops a specific image and go to market than the headset one. This is where they have to focus.
Antoine
Antoine, I am afraid it's not.
Talking of BlackBerry: Does anybody know when OS 10.3 will be rolled out for older devices such as the Q10? I was under the impression that this was going to happen before the end of December but I haven't received any (official) updates yet.
OS 10.3 will be skipped by older devices such as Q10 an Z10. They are going to deliver OS 10.3.1 within the next weeks for this devices, depending on the approval of your mobile carrier, Jochen.
Thank you, Ralph.
