In the military, a true PowerPoint Ranger goes nowhere without a firmly holstered BlackBerry. But new Air Force regulations are about to make life much more complicated for users of the popular handheld device.
Last week, the Air Force introduced sweeping changes to boost BlackBerry security. Among other things, the service will disable most Bluetooth functionality: The only Bluetooth feature that will continue to work will be the smartcard reader cradle, a device that holds the user's Common Access Card (a Department of Defense smart ID that is used for computer and network security, pictured here).
The new measures also mean users will not be able to receive text messages with attached photos or videos (Translation: If you get that message that says "FW: Daytona spring break pictures," you won't be able to retrieve it.) And they will also restrict users from downloading additional apps to their handheld device.
Don't like the changes? Too bad. Software on the devices will be automatically updated: Users will get only have one chance to decline their software update while syncing, and any subsequent attempts to sync will disable the BlackBerry until it is updated.
It's part of a larger shift requiring BlackBerry and Windows mobile devices to be Public Key Infrastructure enabled, so they can send and receive secure e-mail messages. The BlackBerry crackdown seems driven by the service's focus on cybersecurity. For instance, the Air Force has been reluctant to rescind a ban on thumb drives and other removable media, despite a new Pentagon directive that encourages access.
"Just as physical security measures at forward and stateside bases are constantly being improved to meet current threats, so also are cyberprotection measures taken to protect DoD [Department of Defense] information," said Maj. Gen. Richard Webber, 24th Air Force commander, in a recent Air Force news item.
But one Air Force IT professional tells Danger Room the strict new measures may be costly and difficult to implement. "Either way, we (base comm squadrons) are essentially on our own since our centralization efforts have not sent the right people to the right places," the source said. "Customer service is absent at the higher levels of support."
Photo: U.S. Department of Defense
