User guide

BlackBerry Smart Card Reader Security 6

Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices

BlackBerry devices that use Bluetooth wireless technology are designed to establish a wireless connection with

other Bluetooth enabled devices, such as a hands-free car kit or a wireless headset, that are within an

approximate 10-meter range of these BlackBerry devices.

Bluetooth profiles specify how applications on Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices and on other Bluetooth

devices connect, and how those applications are interoperable. The Bluetooth Serial Port Profile on Bluetooth

enabled BlackBerry devices specifies how the BlackBerry device and another Bluetooth enabled device can

establish a serial connection between them using a virtual serial port. Bluetooth enabled devices access the

virtual serial port through the BlackBerry Software Development Kit.

Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices running BlackBerry Device Software Version 4.0 or later are designed to

provide the following security measures by default on the Bluetooth wireless channel, which is widely considered

to be non-secure:

• The Bluetooth wireless transceiver on the BlackBerry device is turned off.

• Users must request a connection between the Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry device with a Bluetooth device

and type a password called a passkey, which is a shared secret key, to complete the pairing.

• Users can specify whether or not the BlackBerry device uses the passkey to encrypt data that the user sends

over a Bluetooth connection.

• The Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry device prompts the user each time a Bluetooth enabled device attempts

to connect to the BlackBerry device.

• The Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry device never enters into discoverable mode unless the user turns on that

feature.

Managing Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices

Using BlackBerry Enterprise Server Software Version 4.0 or later, you can set BlackBerry Enterprise Server IT

policy rules that are designed to control the behavior of Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices, including the

following examples:

• prevent Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices from establishing a Bluetooth connection to another

Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry device, another Bluetooth enabled device, or the BlackBerry desktop software

• prevent users from turning on discoverable mode on Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices

• require Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices to use Bluetooth encryption on all connections

• require Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices to prompt the user to type the BlackBerry device password to

turn on Bluetooth support

• require Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices to prompt the user to type the BlackBerry device password to

turn on discoverable mode

• prevent Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices from using the Bluetooth Headset Profile, the Bluetooth

Handsfree Profile, or the Bluetooth Serial Port Profile

• prevent Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices from using wireless bypass over a Bluetooth connection

• prevent Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices from sending or receiving address book information over a

Bluetooth connection

• prevent Bluetooth enabled BlackBerry devices from making phone calls

See the Policy Reference Guide for more information.