User guide

When a device overwrites data in the device
memory
A BlackBerry device continually runs the memory cleaner application during the based garbage collection process to
overwrite data in the device memory that the device no longer uses.
The device runs the garbage collection process when any of the following conditions exist:
• You or a device user turns on content protection for the device.
• An application uses the RIM Cryptographic API to create a private key or symmetric key.
• A third-party application turns on the garbage collection process by registering with the memory cleaner application on
the device. The memory cleaner application instructs applications to empty caches and to free the device memory that
is associated with sensitive application data that the applications no longer use.
• A BlackBerry device user installs the S/MIME Support Package for BlackBerry smartphones on the device.
• A device user installs the PGP Support Package for BlackBerry smartphones on the device.
When the device runs the garbage collection process, the garbage collection process overwrites the data that the device no
longer uses with zeroes, periodically runs the memory cleaner application, and overwrites the memory that the memory
cleaner application frees.
Deleting all device data from the device
storage space
A BlackBerry device is designed to permanently delete the following data from the NV store, application storage, and built-
in media storage:
• all BlackBerry device user data
• any references to your organization’s PIN encryption key
• any references to the device transport key
• if applicable, authentication information (for example, the binding information of the smart card)
• IT policy public key
• if you reset the device to the factory default settings, any references to past hashes of the device password
• record of time that elapsed since the user last turned on the device
Security Technical Overview Device storage space
49