[Blackberry_Jam]

I need some details around the security risks on enabaling a Corporate BlackBerry Device with access to a hotmail POP3 mailbox.

My opinion is that this is a risk as you have an external mail system pushing data to a device which should be contained within a secure corporate network.

I am trying to put together a list of possible risks as to why this should not be done, but finding indepth technical details or reasons as to why this should not be done seems a bit thin.

Can anyone help with providing any answers or opinions on this?

Thanks

[voyager9355]

I have had no troubles with allowing my users to do this. Heck, I have 3 different POP3 accounts configured on my own BB.

=)

[knottyrope]

Do you let users get personal email on thier corporate PC?

What happens if user gets/sends porn on company device?

[TargetIT]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but even in BIS, the email server isn't talking to your BB directly, it's going through the BIS service, managed by your carrier/RIM. So the actual delivery of the mail is static in BIS regardless of the methods BIS uses to retrieve the email from the server.

To Knotty's point, it's a little different since it's one point of contact, rather than misc. points (ie individual POP3 servers people use, and therefore more chance of exposure), but you still have to decide how it fits in with your corporate policy. I put it farily low on the whole security hole issue in comparison to people who put stickies on their laptops with their current password (No, I didn't just make that up...)

[Blackberry_Jam]

thanks for the replies so far, the point that Knottyrope raises is more of what i was trying to get to as with an external mail point configured on a blackberry, what risks can this pose if for instance, an email is pushed with an embeded java payload/exe or virus attachment, could this run rampant on the BlackBerry?

As per usual, it's a case of Corporate policy say's you cannot have access BUT for some reason company execs seem to have this if they scream loud enough

Thanks for all your replies so far.

[TargetIT]

This is why company execs have least amount of access to network resources

[knottyrope]

I have not seen a virus on a BlackBerry Smart phone.
One could be forwarded through it though.