Cyber Security Weekly Podcast

Cyber Security Weekly Podcast


Episode 168 - Blackberry launches 'Intelligent Security' for mobile endpoint security in zero trust environments

August 11, 2019

Interview with David Nicol, Managing Director, BlackBerry Australia & New Zealand and Jonathan Jackson, Director, Engineering Solutions, APJ.


BlackBerry® Intelligent Security uses a combination of contextual and behavioural factors to dynamically adapt security requirements and calculate a unique risk score for each interaction. Using this unique risk score, a mobile user can be granted access to specific device applications and services, as defined by IT administrators. This provides granular control and delivers a better, more productive end user experience – all without sacrificing an organisation’s regulatory and security policies.


BlackBerry® Intelligent Security utilises a range of behavioural, device and other characteristics to seamlessly secure endpoints. Some of the unique contextual factors include:



  • Behavioural Location: BlackBerry® Intelligent Security learns the trusted locations, frequency and patterns of users based on analysis of anonymised location and other behavioural inputs to determine behaviour and location-based risk score. Locations can be predefined with a set of policy actions to be executed when a user is within the location boundaries.
  • Network Trust: BlackBerry® Intelligent Security learns the frequency of network use and adjusts security dynamically based on that profile. For example, the solution would adjust the risk score accordingly for a user who is accessing any new Wi-Fi for the first time.
  • Time & Usage Anomalies: BlackBerry® Intelligent Security learns how and when employees normally access data to protect against instances of anomalous behaviour.
  • Device and App DNA: BlackBerry® Intelligent Security builds a uniquely identifying signature for trusted, compliant devices and apps, and uses that signature to detect and block access attempts by rogue, non-compliant devices.

David Nicol was appointed as the Managing Director for BlackBerry in Australia and New Zealand in August 2018. With over two decades in the IT sector, David brings years of expertise in technology transformation, supporting BlackBerry’s trajectory as a leader in software and security. With a strong sales, channel and business leadership background, David heads a team of software and cybersecurity experts that are helping companies and governments to mitigate security risks and transform workplaces by protecting endpoints and communicating securely and privately.


Jonathan Jackson has been with BlackBerry for over 6 years and was the Head of Security Advisory for ANZ before assuming his current role. Prior to this, he worked with Nokia and Microsoft where he held a number of roles focusing on enterprise mobility. Jonathan advises customers looking to navigate the daunting world of enterprise mobility and cyber threats, working with them to develop a mobile strategy that satisfies both the demands of IT and end users now and in the future. He has advised a number of large financial and government institutions on how to leverage the expanding capability of security solutions in driving end user productivity while protecting corporate data, assets and staff.


Recorded in Sydney, 2 August 2019 courtesy of Blackberry.


Full Media Release - https://australiancybersecuritymagazine.com.au/blackberry-advances-real-time-adaptive-security-and-artificial-intelligence-with-blackberry-intelligent-security/