[ISN] BlackBerry maker gets NIST nod

[InfoSec News]

http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2005/0207/web-nistberry-02-10-05.asp

By Florence Olsen 
Feb. 10, 2005

National Institute of Standards and Technology officials named
Research in Motion, the Canadian maker of the wireless BlackBerry, as
the recipient today of NIST's 500th cryptographic module
certification. Since 1995, NIST-approved laboratories have tested and
validated hundreds of cryptographic hardware and software modules.

NIST officials issued the 500th certificate to Research in Motion for
its BlackBerry cryptographic kernel, firmware that performs all basic
cryptographic functions for the BlackBerry. Certification means that
the module conforms to Federal Information Processing Standard 140-2.  
Federal agencies are required to use only validated cryptographic
modules.

NIST officials operate the Cryptographic Module Validation Program in
conjunction with the Canadian government. NIST officials have
accredited nine laboratories in the United States, Canada and the
United Kingdom to test cryptographic modules.

A statement from Research in Motion officials said a number of
government organizations are using handheld BlackBerrys to support
continuity of operations planning. Federal BlackBerry users are
storing emergency preparedness information, standard operating
procedures, emergency call lists and other documents on the handheld
computers.