Not many cases have been reported of BlackBerry smartphone jailbreaking that we can remember. However, not long after the PlayBook was launched an incident was reported where a group of hackers were able to root into the PlayBook tablet causing headaches for many. The ones responsible for troubleshooting this sort of issue is RIM’s security defense team, BlackBerry Security Incident Response Team (BBSIRT). They are responsible for responding to potential security issues and investigating vulnerability claims. In case you’re wondering how RIM handles jailbreaking issues they’ve actually addressed exactly how they respond to rooting incidents and offer advice on how to keep your Berry safe and secure. Continue reading for more.
On hearing reports of a jailbreak for a BlackBerry® product, the BBSIRT will quickly triage the underlying issue and method used to perform the jailbreak. If it falls into the first category, where extensive user interaction is required, we will seek to address it in a future software update. If it falls into the second category (where a vulnerability is exposed with little to no user interaction), that is an indication of a more serious underlying issue and will most likely result in the release of a security update to address it as soon as possible. When this happens, my team publishes a security advisory or notice. These notifications typically offer an assessment of the issue and the required steps customers should take to resolve the vulnerability.
To be clear, RIM recommends against installing any jailbreaking tool. Customers who use a jailbreaking tool on BlackBerry products void the manufacturer warranty and also increase the long-term risk of negatively impacting the stability and user experience of their BlackBerry products. Use of a jailbreaking tool could also amplify the impact and severity of a future security issue, making your personal data more vulnerable to theft and more difficult to protect. If new jailbreaks for BlackBerry products are reported, rest assured that we will evaluate them and take appropriate action to help protect customers.