PGP for BlackBerry: How Does it Work?

PGP is a widely used method of protecting personal and private communications between individuals and businesses. Since its invention in 1991, it has become the de facto standard in email encryption. Having undergone many improvements and updates since it was first released, PGP remains the most secure way to send email on an encrypted BlackBerry.

 

Here’s a rundown of how the technology works, what it means to email users and why Myntex uses BlackBerry encryption.

 

Encrypted email can’t be read

With the use of PGP, BlackBerry users can send encrypted email messages that only the intended recipient can decrypt and read. PGP cannot prevent email messages from being intercepted. But because messages between PGP BlackBerry devices are encrypted, an intercepted message is meaningless and unreadable.

PGP encrypted email can only be decrypted by the intended recipient.

Using PGP, BlackBerry users can also authenticate their identity when sending secure messages, so the recipient can guarantee the message was not sent by an imposter. This is called digital signing with PGP.

 

How BlackBerry supports PGP

Myntex only offers PGP on BlackBerry devices. This is because PGP is well supported on BlackBerry devices. By adding PGP encryption to the added security already built into a standard BlackBerry and the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, PGP BlackBerry users are free to send and receive encrypted email between each other and other companies, as long as they implement the same security standards.

 

How Myntex uses PGP

Myntex implements PGP for BlackBerry the way it was designed to be implemented. By enforcing the strict use of the most advanced algorithms available, we ensure our clients’ privacy and security is in a safe environment.

For maximum security, our BlackBerry PGP encryption service utilizes AES 256 bit PGP encryption with a 4096 bit RSA key format.

The servers used for our PGP service are managed on-site by our company, and not outsourced to a foreign location. This permits us to restrict access to our servers, prevent unauthorized access, and mitigate corruption issues that plague off-shore servers.

 

A step-by-step explanation of how PGP BlackBerry encryption works

PGP for BlackBerry uses a modified public key system to encrypt email messages. Every BlackBerry user has a private encryption key known only by them — and not known by Myntex — and a public encryption key that other people need to know in order to communicate with them.

 

The public and private keys work together, as follows:

Sender:

1. The sender composes an email message and hits send.
2. The message is compressed.
3. PGP creates a random, one-time session key that’s used to encrypt the compressed email message on the sender’s encrypted BlackBerry. This session key will also be required to decrypt the message.
4. The session key is then encrypted using the recipient’s public key, which is specifically tied to the recipient’s encrypted BlackBerry. Decryption can only be done using a private key held by the recipient, on that device.
5. The encrypted email and encrypted session key are both sent to the recipient.

Recipient:

1. They receive the email.
2. PGP automatically decrypts the session key with the recipient’s private key, which only they have.
3. PGP uses the session key to decrypt the compressed email message.
4. PGP decompresses the message.
5. The recipient reads the email on their encrypted BlackBerry.

 

Want to learn more about sending secure email through BlackBerry encryption? Let’s talk.