[Lego_Man]

I've been tasked with data-wiping a giant tub full of old Blackberries at work. (I'm at home so I'm not sure what models they are, but I will look today) My employer prefers everything wiped to DoD 5220.22-M specs when possible. I assume the System Wipe isn't this thorough, but I can't find any information on Google or the FAQs on what kind of wipe it is. Is the Jl_Cmdr a more secure option?

[JSanders]

JL_Cmder wipes more closely to a traditional formatted hard drive.

The Options > Security Wipe does not wipe the device, just the personal data, preferences, email, calendar, etc., and may not even remove third party apps and their lingering data.

Use the JLCmder wipe and load a new OS fresh. I don't know how this compares to your DoD specs, but it is as close as you're going to get.

[aiharkness]

Wirelessly posted

Just curious: If you could be sure encryption was enabled, wouldn't a security wipe be about as clean as you could get in terms of preventing unauthorized access of the data?

[JSanders]

I think so, yes.

In addition to turning on Memory Cleaning which wipes the free space memory to a DoD standard.

The problem might be he has such old devices that Memory Cleaning might not be available in the OS.

[bostonnerd]

Originally Posted by Lego_Man

I've been tasked with data-wiping a giant tub full of old Blackberries at work. (I'm at home so I'm not sure what models they are, but I will look today) My employer prefers everything wiped to DoD 5220.22-M specs when possible. I assume the System Wipe isn't this thorough, but I can't find any information on Google or the FAQs on what kind of wipe it is. Is the Jl_Cmdr a more secure option?

See RIM paper at Deleting all device data from the BlackBerry device memory

"If content protection is turned on, during a security wipe the BlackBerry device uses a memory scrub process to overwrite the BlackBerry device flash memory file system. The BlackBerry memory scrub process complies with United States government requirements for clearing sensitive user data, including Department of Defense directive 5220.22-M and National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-88."

Looks like 5220.22-M is only valid if Content Protection was enabled on the devices.

[Lego_Man]

Wonderful, thanks guys. I'll check tomorrow if Content Protection and Memory Cleaning are available on mine.

The models I found were:

R6020GW
6710
7280
7290
7750

[JSanders]

You won't find Memory Cleaner on any of those devices.
You should find content protection in the Options > Security.

[Lego_Man]

So far so good, although I hit one small snag. I have a Model R6020GW that gives me an icon of what looks like a cassette tape and a number '507', which I see means no OS is loaded. Is data stored anywhere other than the card under the battery? I'd like to just pull the card and put Blackberry in the donations box if possible, rather than hassling with reloading the OS just to nuke it properly.

[Lego_Man]

Anyone?

[Preroll]

Originally Posted by JSanders

JL_Cmder wipes more closely to a traditional formatted hard drive.

The Options > Security Wipe does not wipe the device, just the personal data, preferences, email, calendar, etc., and may not even remove third party apps and their lingering data.

Use the JLCmder wipe and load a new OS fresh. I don't know how this compares to your DoD specs, but it is as close as you're going to get.

A bit off topic here but what I have a problem understanding with JL_CMDR is the following. I downgraded OS's from .175 to .138 and I used JL_CMDR to wipe the unit. However, when I ran Loader.exe (directly, not through Desktop Manager), it still flagged that I was putting in an older OS and did I want to proceed (even though I deleted the vendor.xml file). So, is there some trace of the prior OS still loaded on the device even after wiping with JL_CMDR? I thought JL_CMDR completely wiped everything (almost like into a brick status so to speak). I guess I'm not fully up to speed with how JL_CMDR wipes the unit.

[jsconyers]

Did you still have .175 installed on your PC?

[Preroll]

Originally Posted by jsconyers

Did you still have .175 installed on your PC?

Nope. I usually make an image of my HD on the PC before upgrading or downgrading OS's, then I install the BB OS onto the PC and then onto the phone. After all is said and done, I restore the image back on my PC as if no BB software was ever installed on the PC. I just found it to be a cleaner process with less headaches doing it that way. So when I installed .138 on the PC, there were no signs of .175. That's what throws me for a loop! How would Loader.exe know I was downgrading OS's unless JL_CMDR doesn't fully wipe everything?