Installing Android apps on BlackBerry 10 just got a lot safer, thanks to BlackBerry Guardian

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To ensure users safety when installing Android apps on their BlackBerry 10 device, BlackBerry has announced that the BlackBerry Guardian feature will now scan Android apps before installing them.

The safety of Android apps running on a BlackBerry 10 device was always the centre of debate when it came to the discussion of the Android Runtime feature. For the most part, it is safe and always will be. However, thanks to the partnership between Trend Micro and BlackBerry, not only does every app from BlackBerry World get scanned before allowing the app to be made public, but apps downloaded from the Amazon App Store will also get scanned and checked before the user can make a decision on whether or not he/she wants to install the app.

I’m happy to announce that starting with the BlackBerry Passport, BlackBerry Guardian will automatically check all Android apps that customers install on their BlackBerry smartphones. This includes apps from the Amazon Appstore and apps installed from other sources. If a suspicious app is detected, the user will have the choice to proceed or cancel the installation. This on-device service will be available for free to users of the BlackBerry Passport, BlackBerry Classic and future BlackBerry 10 devices. Existing BlackBerry 10 customers can expect to see BlackBerry Guardian in an upcoming BlackBerry 10 software update.

BlackBerry Guardian is just one part of our multi-layered security strategy. BlackBerry 10 was designed for security from the ground up. Resilient enough to power nuclear power plants and designed to fail safe, the QNX microkernel core that powers the BlackBerry 10 OS offers exceptional security strengths. Its unique sandboxing capabilities are designed to contain and separate each application and its data from other applications and core system functionality. For nearly 10 years, our on-device application permissions have given BlackBerry users full visibility and control over what resources apps can access (e.g. GPS, Calendar). BlackBerry Balance provides a clear separation between Work and Personal apps and data, protecting users’ privacy and letting them install apps while securing corporate data. Enterprises can whitelist and blacklist applications through BlackBerry World for Work and enforce IT policy controls to protect users.

Source: INSIDE BlackBerry