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BBM for Apple & Android

BlackBerry & BBM

BlackBerry has revealed real-time messaging service BBM will be available across Apple and Android platforms from summer 2013.

This latest move by BlackBerry has prompted loyal customers and critics alike, to question the manufacturer’s decision and discuss its effect on the future of the company.

BlackBerry claims to have over 60 million active users of BBM, with more than 51 million spending an average of 90 minutes per day using the instant messenger platform.  For many, this service is one of the main USPs to using a BlackBerry handset so how do BlackBerry plan to attract and retain customers?  When BBM is available on Apple and Android devices, what will stop existing BlackBerry customers switching smartphone provider?

At the company’s developer conference yesterday, Vice President of software, Andrew Bocking announced,

‘The time is definitely right for BBM to become a multi-platform mobile service.  BBM has always been one of the most engaging services for BlackBerry customers, enabling them to easily connect while maintaining a valued level of personal privacy.  We’re excited to offer iOS and Android users the possibility to join the BBM community.’

(Guardian, online)

Chief Executive of BlackBerry, Thorsten Heins, described the move as ‘a statement of confidence,’ but will BBM realistically be the messenger service of choice for iOS and Android users already  hooked on the ever-popular Whatsap, Viber and WeChat services?  Compared to WeChat, who claim to have 190 million active users and Whatsap, with their reported 200 million active users, BBM will be one of the smallest cross-platform apps.

So what are the unique benefits of BBM?

BBM is celebrated for the immediacy of its messaging service and for allowing multi-person group chats of up to 30 people.  However, these are rivaled elements to the service.  Where BlackBerry carves a niche is through the high level of control and privacy it provides each BBM user; contacts can be securely added via PIN codes, email addresses, SMS or the scanning of a QR code.  For business users currently using iOS and Android devices, the security systems offered by BBM is likely to be a major benefit.

What does the future hold for BlackBerry?

Despite creating a large question mark over the future of the company, BlackBerry’s decision to end exclusivity of its BBM platform could be a sign that more change is to come.  Some say the company’s latest move promises more operational overhaul and therefore further innovation in the future.  Watch this space.

The Threat of Cyber-Attack Rises

Cyber-attack visual

Government-commissioned research reveals British firms are increasingly falling victim to cyber-crimes with almost all businesses, regardless of size, affected in the past year.

As reported in the national papers, the Information Security Breaches Survey, commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), has highlighted some worrying statistics that illustrates the sheer scale of the security problem UK businesses face today.

Sentronex has collated five of the most staggering facts from the survey to give you a better idea of just how much risk is on the rise:

  1. 87% of small firms experienced a security breach last year
  2. 93% of larger organisations were targeted by cyber-criminals
  3. Some reported cyber-attacks caused more than £1 million of damage.
  4. UK based companies experienced around 50% more attacks on average than a year ago
  5. The median number of breaches suffered by large organisations has risen from 71 to 113 per year, while the figure for small firms is up from 11 to 17.

Following the publication of the research by BIS, Universities and Science Minister David Willetts, said that keeping electronic information secure is crucial to a business’s bottom line:

“Companies are more at risk than ever of having their cyber security compromised, in particular small businesses, and no sector is immune from attack,” he said.

Mike Bensley, senior 3rd line engineer at Sentronex, offers small businesses some advice:

  • Ensure that passwords are changed regularly and that “strong” password schemes are used
  • Limit remote access to people who need it
  • Ensure workstations and servers are regularly patched and are running an Anti-Virus product
  • Encrypt all portable USB devices that are used to store confidential data
  • Create and document your security plan and make sure that your employees are aware of their obligations to protect your company’s security.

For any further information or advice on issues related to cyber threat and security measures, please contact the Sentronex team on 020 7397 7400.

Bring Your Own Identity

BYOI is the most recent acronym, buzz word and potential revolution to hit the IT sector and one that is likely to affect businesses, globally.

The emerging BYOI trend is yet another product of the increased mobility we benefit from today.  The consumerisation of IT teamed with improved connectivity and the BYOD phenomenon has led us to drastically change the way in which we work.

The ‘one size fits all’ mentality continues to infiltrate the professional environment with more and more employees bringing their preferred smartphone, tablet or even phablet to the office and using them in both professional and personal capacities.

This trend does however raise questions linked to the ever pressing concern of data security:

  1. Does having multiple identities operating from within one device pose a risk to the security of the data and the device?
  2. How can you securely separate digital identities when using the same device for downloading music as accessing confidential information from within a company app?

Increasingly, Identity and Access Management (IAM) is becoming a priority.  Sentronex has chosen to highlight some of the key areas businesses need to start thinking about when addressing BYOI and how it could affect the internal framework of a firm if not addressed correctly.

The password:

Historically, when you started a new job, the IT department would provide you with a username and temporary password for you to personalise at your leisure.  This then gave you the right to access the relevant drives on the office’s server.  Nowadays, access is considerably more fluid and business is more open.
When using one device for a number of purposes it is crucial to assign each activity with the correct digital ID.  Access to secure information on a device should be regulated by a company’s IT provider, with the right user securely linked to the correct account.  In addition, there should be processes in place to ensure passwords are changed regularly using “strong” password schemes.

Device password:

Although the majority of users set passcodes for their devices, there are some people who do not.  To increase data protection of BYOI further, it is important to make passcodes compulsory among employees who bring their own devices to the office, given the sensitive nature of business data.

Disabled access:

As well as a passcode for the handset and varying logins and passwords for the applications, it is a good idea to set disabled access rules so that when a device is left unattended or an app is unused for a period of time, there is an automatic log out function.

More than the password:

Having seen the results of the Information Security Breaches Survey commissioned by the government Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), it is increasingly clear that a user name and password combination is no longer a strong enough defence.  To put this into perspective, 87% of small firms experienced a security breach last year, a figure that is up 10% on the year before (gov.uk).

However, technology is gradually catching up with much research and development around cryptographic cards that work like authentication tokens and secure storage when slotted into a USB reader.  In addition, unique fingerprint ID technology is set to take the smartphone and device markets by storm with Apple reportedly paying $350 million for a system that has its own fingerprint authentication and encryption technology (Bloomberg online).

BYOI and the future:

According to a Quocirca report entitled, Digital Identities and the Open Business, the majority of European organisations now open up their applications to external users.  The business strategy behind this move is invariably positive, allowing a firm to offer a unique and interactive experience for investors, employees and consumers, as well as delivering smoother supply chains and driving revenue growth.  Unfortunately, the risks to increased accessibility of data are often overlooked if not ignored altogether.

As outlined by the facts and figures in this article, having a working IAM system is crucial to ID security and therefore instrumental in the success of schemes such as BYOD and BYOI.  The year 2013 is about managing two identities securely on one device but as the market matures and sophisticated technology arrives, the trend will likely alter to support additional identities on one device, each with its own, clear perimeter.

For more information on BYOI and developing your businesses IAM processes, please contact the Sentronex team on 020 7397 7400.

Sentronex wins Sell Side Outsourcing Award

Sentronex is thrilled to announce we have won Sell Side Technology’s ‘Best Outsourcing Provider to the Sell-Side’ award 2013!

These awards recognize the leading technology and third-party vendors through an auditable and transparent application process, judged by a panel made up of four sell-side analysts/CIOs and four of Waters magazine’s senior staff members.

The inaugural Sell-Side Technology Awards took place on the 23rd April at the Marriott Marquis in New York.  Unfortunately, Sentronex was unable to attend the ceremony but the team is elated by the news and by the judges’ decision to announce us as winners.

“To receive such industry recognition and to be rewarded for our work in the financial IT services sector is a real honour.  Sentronex has established itself over the past 8 years as a leading provider of advanced outsourced IT solutions tailored to the financial community and Sell-Side firms in particular.  To be acknowledged for this is a fantastic achievement.”

Joe Sluys, CEO of Sentronex

For more information about the awards and to view the other categories and winners, click here.

Finally, Sentronex would like to thank the judges, Waters Technology, Incisive Media and all those who helped organise the awards and make them such a success.

Sentronex Completes Latest Fund Raising

Sentronex secures most recent fund raising deal with BMS Finance.

Sentronex today announces the completion of a dynamic, strategic funding arrangement with BMS Finance.  This development will enable Sentronex to continue to expand the business infrastructure and further cement its aggressive growth strategy.

BMS Finance is a boutique finance company with funds to deploy into growing, established companies backed by robust business models and talented, experienced management teams.

The funding will see Sentronex increase its capital investment and enhance both its cloud based solutions and the capacity within its Romford-based datacentre.

Sentronex will continue to invest heavily in research and development, as it has done over the last 4 years. The latest funding deal will also allow the company to channel further finance into the product portfolio, ensuring products are amongst the most innovative within the market.

Joe Sluys, CEO of Sentronex, says of the news,

“Our deal with BMS marks the last piece of a successful £1.3 million fund raising round. We are excited to welcome a new partner to the business and hope that this deal is the first of many with them.  BMS Finance has been thoroughly supportive of Sentronex and the company’s ambitious growth strategy. We are looking forward to working with them.”

Shane Lanigan, Director at BMS Finance added,

“We found the management team brought together an impressive range of skills and knowledge of the financial services industry’s IT requirements together with a proven track record of executing the business strategy. We really feel that the finance we have provided will further enable the business to build on the impressive growth it has delivered year on year and we are excited about Sentronex’s future opportunities.”

Ends

For further information or comment, please contact Rhian Robinson on 020 7397 7400 or email press@sentronex.com