President Obama's New Email Device

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10141398-38.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20' target='_blank'>http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-1...g=2547-1_3-0-20</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Bill Clinton sent only two e-mail messages as president and has yet to pick up the habit. George W. Bush ceased using e-mail in January 2001 but has said he's looking forward to e-mailing "my buddies" after leaving Washington, D.C. Barack Obama, though, is a serious e-mail addict. "I'm still clinging to my BlackBerry," he said in a recent interview with CNBC. "They're going to pry it out of my hands." One reason to curb presidential BlackBerrying is the possibility of eavesdropping by hackers and other digital snoops. While Research In Motion offers encryption, the U.S. government has stricter requirements for communications security...Fortunately for an enthusiastic e-mailer-in-chief, some handheld devices have been officially blessed as secure enough to handle even classified documents, e-mail, and Web browsing."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/ppct/auto/1231862954.usr1.jpg" style="border: 0;" /></p><p>The Sect&eacute;ra Edge <a href="http://www.gdc4s.com/content/detail.cfm?item=32640fd9-0213-4330-a742-55106fbaff32" target="_blank">looks like one bad-ass device</a>: it functions over both GSM and CDMA networks, is military-grade rugged, and seems to use some form of Windows CE (the <a href="http://www.gdc4s.com/documents/GD-Sectera_Edge-w.pdf" target="_blank">PDF specs sheet</a> doesn't specify). With a price north of $3000, readers of this site wouldn't want it anyway: it only has 64 MB of RAM. ;-)</p>

[Ed Hansberry]

If you look at the video, this is one seriously bulky device. Reminds me of the @migo from way way back, except this thing looks thicker. I cannot see the President carrying this thing. It is made to military spec. I wonder if there will be a demand for such a device on the secure side but without the ruggedness requirement that this thing had to fulfill?

[doogald]

He is apparently actually getting a Blackberry with some sort of encryption software installed. See http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/obama_will_get_his_blackberry.php

[Ed Hansberry]

He is apparently actually getting a Blackberry with some sort of encryption software installed. See http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/obama_will_get_his_blackberry.php

That is only for his personal email. He cannot use it for official business.

[doogald]

That is only for his personal email. He cannot use it for official business.

Right; and that is exactly why he wanted a Blackberry - for personal e-mail with friends. I really doubt that he will be carrying two devices.

[Janak Parekh]

Right; and that is exactly why he wanted a Blackberry - for personal e-mail with friends. I really doubt that he will be carrying two devices. You never know. Considering he has Secret Service following him everywhere, it's not like he needs to always carry a ruggedized, military-grade service on his belt. That said, I agree with Ed: if they don't have another less-rugged version already, I'm sure they can get one made for the president.

--janak

[daS]

He is apparently actually getting a Blackberry with some sort of encryption software installed. See http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/obama_will_get_his_blackberry.php
If you read the article you quoted, it's still not clear that he will get a "Blackberry" as opposed to some other messaging device that the author is calling a "Blackberry" in the same way that we generically refer to Kleenex.

Note from the article: With few exceptions, government Blackberries aren't designed for encryption that protects messages above the "SECRET" status, so it's not clear whether Obama is getting something new and special. The exception: the Sectera Edge (http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-262060.html) from General Dynamics, which allows for TOP SECRET voice conversations.

As we have seen, the Sectera is not a Blackberry since it uses Windows Mobile.

What is also not discussed in this article is that any form of security would also require the President's "friends" to have a compatible device, otherwise there wouldn't be any use for the encryption on his. I assume that means that Michelle and the girls will have them too. (Since I would think that these are the "friends" that he would be willing to interrupt his day for.;))

[Janak Parekh]

What is also not discussed in this article is that any form of security would also require the President's "friends" to have a compatible device, otherwise there wouldn't be any use for the encryption on his. I assume that means that Michelle and the girls will have them too. (Since I would think that these are the "friends" that he would be willing to interrupt his day for.;)) Not necessarily -- the other endpoint could be a (secured) desktop.

--janak

[doogald]

If you read the article you quoted, it's still not clear that he will get a "Blackberry" as opposed to some other messaging device that the author is calling a "Blackberry" in the same way that we generically refer to Kleenex.

This article in the NY Times earlier (http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/obama-gets-a-thumbs-up-for-his-blackberry/) is very clear.

And, from the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/22/AR2009012202201.html?hpid=topnews), a report from the press conference from which it was announced this afternoon:

"The president has a BlackBerry through a compromise that allows him to stay in touch with senior staff and a small group of personal friends," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Thursday. He did not say with whom the compromise was struck.

Gibbs said the president will limit its use, and security has been enhanced to ensure that Obama can communicate in a way that's protected.

Previous presidents chose not to use e-mail because it can be subpoenaed by Congress and courts and may be subject to public records laws.

Gibbs said the presumption from the White House counsel's office is that e-mails will be subject to the Presidential Records Act, the law that requires the National Archives to preserve presidential records. But he also said that some exemptions in the law allow for "strictly personal communications." He did not say how that classification would be determined but made clear that the device could be used for both business and personal communication.


The security could be as simple as PGP, with his friends only getting a copy of his public key (though I am only guessing, of course.)

[daS]

This article in the NY Times earlier (http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/obama-gets-a-thumbs-up-for-his-blackberry/) is very clear.

I agree that the NYT article clearly stated that he will be keeping his Blackberry. However, I still believe that the general media considers the term Blackberry to be generic for an email-centric phone.

I would think that the NSA would have a bigger problem with the Blackberry's hosted email design even with encryption.

The security could be as simple as PGP, with his friends only getting a copy of his public key (though I am only guessing, of course.)
You might be right there. But these things have a way of getting out. Unless the security folks force a huge amount of discipline on changing keys, etc., I wonder how long it will take before his messages get leaked to the press.

[doogald]

Mea culpa. Apparently, I was dumb enough to give the media credit it probably did not deserve, as it appears that they were, in fact, using the term 'Blackberry' as many now use the term 'xerox' or 'kleenex'.

RIM must be pleased, however.

[Pony99CA]

What is also not discussed in this article is that any form of security would also require the President's "friends" to have a compatible device, otherwise there wouldn't be any use for the encryption on his.
The Sectera Edge is basically two PDAs in one, with separate classified and unclassified memory and buttons to switch between them. I assume the unclassified section could be unencrypted (although the classified section probably has to be).

Also, as Janak said, they might not need mobile devices like that. With a CAC reader in the unit, you can probably send encrypted E-mail to Outlook users. With Outlook, a CAC reader (http://www.smart-cardsys.com/products/readers.htm) and software that supports the reader, you can digitally sign or encrypt E-mail and read others' encrypted E-mail.

Steve