With the release of BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.3.2, your privacy and security are further enhanced with the introduction of Anti-Theft Protection within BlackBerry Protect.
Provided you have confirmed your BlackBerry ID, Anti-Theft Protection associates your BlackBerry ID with your device, and provides you with the ability to disable your device using a new Flag as Stolen option.
When used, Flag as Stolen will erase your device memory and disable your device, unless the BlackBerry ID which was used to setup the device originally with Anti-Theft Protection, is entered on the device.
In other words, unless your device is returned to you, no one else will be able to setup the device again since they do not know your BlackBerry ID credentials.
For an overview of how this feature works and frequently asked questions, check out the rest of this post :)
Two things before we begin!
Do you have a device password set?
- If you do not have a device password already setup on your device, stop what you are doing right now and set a device password by going to Settings > Security and Privacy followed by Device Password. A device password, when combined with Anti-Theft Protection, can give you peace of mind in the event you misplace your device, best to set a device password today!
- To secure your BlackBerry ID and ensure you can reset your password, make sure you confirm your BlackBerry ID. Doing so not only allows you to recover your BlackBerry ID if you have forgotten your password, it also allows you to take advantage of BlackBerry Protect, including Anti-Theft Protection in BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.3.2. If you don’t confirm your BlackBerry ID you will not be able to use BlackBerry Protect.
(This is the point where we remind you to let the authorities handle retrieving a missing device if someone else has it, just to be safe. There’s a chance your phone was just found on the side of the road, but it’s still the best course of action, and the police are trained to handle this sort of situation.)
If you have used BlackBerry Protect in the past you are most likely familiar with the various options available to you such as Display a Message, View Location, or Wipe Device. With the release of BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.3.2, Anti-Theft Protection adds a new Flag as Stolen option which can found when logged into the BlackBerry Protect website. If used, the Flag as Stolen option will mark your device as stolen followed by triggering a security wipe of the device.
To help you understand how this feature works, listed below is an overview of how, and when you should use the Flag as Stolen option.
2. Use the View Location feature to attempt to locate your device
3. Use the Display a Message so you can have your contact information placed on your device lock screen
4. If you are still unable to locate your device, use the Flag as Stolen option which will wipe your device data and prevent someone from setting up your device as their own.
5. Contact your wireless service provider and ask them to disable your wireless service plan on that device
At this point, the only way this device can be used again is if the BlackBerry ID that was used to enable Anti-Theft Protection initially is entered on the device. Let’s assume, however, that the device was turned off after it was misplaced, or it was left in an area that does not have network coverage.
In this scenario your device password is the first line of protection. Again, I cannot stress enough the value of setting a device password. After 10 invalid password attempts, your device will trigger a security wipe and the only way to set it up is by entering your BlackBerry ID credentials.
Frequently Asked Questions
BlackBerry Protect can’t reach my device, what do I do now?
In order for BlackBerry Protect commands such as View Location, or Flag as Stolen to work, your device must have a network connection via the mobile network or a Wi-Fi network. If your device is turned off or the SIM card is removed, you may not be able to communicate with the device. In this scenario, provided you have a device password set, whoever finds your device will not be able to use it.
Simply put, since Anti-Theft was enabled, the only way the device can be used again is if your BlackBerry ID credentials are entered on the device.If you did not have a device password set, whoever finds your device will have access to your data which is why we strongly recommend setting a device password. To do this, go to Settings > Security and Privacy > Device Password.
I don’t want Anti-Theft enabled on my device, how do I turn it off?
Anti-Theft Protection is enabled automatically provided you have confirmed BlackBerry ID. To turn off the Anti-Theft Protection you will need to turn off BlackBerry Protect on your device.Please be advised that doing this will prevent you from using other BlackBerry Protect options such as setting a lock screen message, or viewing your device’s location.Provided you are ok with this, to turn off BlackBerry Protect & Anti-Theft Protection, go to Settings followed by BlackBerry Protect and turn off BlackBerry Protect.
How do I confirm my BlackBerry ID so I can take advantage of Anti-Theft Protection?
Confirming your BlackBerry ID is really easy! All you need to do is login to the BlackBerry ID website located http://bbid.com and select the Confirm my email option that appears below Email Status. When used, this command will send an email to your BlackBerry ID email address with a link that, when clicked, will confirm your BlackBerry ID. After doing this you are ready to turn on BlackBerry Protect, which includes Anti-Theft Protection on your device by going to Settings > BlackBerry Protect.
I’d like to sell my device, or switch to different device, what do I need to do first?
If you are selling your device, switching to another device, giving away your device, or placing your device in storage, you will need to perform a security wipe first. When you start a security wipe, your device will prompt you to enter your BlackBerry ID credentials which will disable Anti-Theft Protection.
A key thing to keep in mind is that if you wipe your device by entering the wrong device password 10 times, Anti-Theft Protection will still be enabled.In this scenario, setup the device again and sign in using the same BlackBerry ID, at which point you can trigger another security wipe by going to Settings > Security and Privacy > Security Wipe. Doing so will prompt you to enter your BlackBerry ID credentials at which point Anti-Theft Protection is turned off.
I found my device after using the Flag as Stolen option, what do I need to do now?
If you used the Flag as Stolen option, your device data is erased, so you will need to setup your device again. In order to complete this process you will need to enter the same BlackBerry ID that was used originally during the setup process.
Why does the Anti-Theft option show as unavailable when I sign into http://protect.blackberry.com?
If you are using BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.3.1 or earlier, Anti-Theft Protection is not supported and appears as unavailable. To take advantage of Anti-Theft Protection please upgrade your device to BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.3.2 or later. For help with upgrading your device check out our post that provides three different ways you can upgrade your OS.
I use a media card in my device, how can I ensure my data is protected?
If you use the Flag as Stolen option, your device memory is erased but the content on your media card remain. To prevent someone from accessing the content of your media card, consider enabling Media Card Encryption. This will result in your media card content being encrypted, and when a security wipe is performed, the key used to decrypt your media card content is removed as part of the security wipe, thus preventing someone from being able to access your media card content.For help encrypting your media card, check out our post that provides an overview of how to encrypt your media card using BlackBerry 10.
I am a BlackBerry administrator in my organization, how do I ensure my users are prepared for Anti-Theft Protection?
If the policy Allow BlackBerry Protect is assigned to your BlackBerry 10 users, and their enrollment type is Work space Only or Work and Personal – Regulated, the user has the ability to turn on BlackBerry Protect which includes Anti-Theft Protection, provided they are using BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.3.2.
Tip: For more detail about Anti-Theft Protection, check out KB37154 BlackBerry Anti-Theft Prevention in BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.3.2 – A Note to Enterprise Administrators
Note: Some BlackBerry Administrators use the remote wipe feature to wipe and redeploy BlackBerry 10 devices to other users within the organization. If this operation is performed, the user that associated their BlackBerry ID with the device would need to enter their BlackBerry ID login credentials followed by turning off BlackBerry Protect which will disable Anti-Theft Protection.
I am a BlackBerry Administrator, can I disable Anti-Theft Protection using a BES command or IT policy rule?
A BlackBerry Administrator can disable BlackBerry Protect & Anti-Theft Protection using the BlackBerry Protect policy rule, Allow BlackBerry Protect on device activated in Work space Only or Work and Personal – Regulated.
Tip: For more detail about Anti-Theft Protection, check out KB37154 BlackBerry Anti-Theft Prevention in BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.3.2 – A Note to Enterprise Administrators
Source: BBHelpBlog
EmoticonEmoticon