Privacy issues with Yahoo or GMail on a work email enabled Blackberry?

slickpoppa · #1 10-12-2007, 07:55 PM

Here's the deal: I recently bought a Verizon Blackberry 8830 and the tech guys at my office installed something on it so that my work email is synched with my Blackberry. Now I'm not sure what they installed on it, but from the brief research I've done, Blackberry Enterprise Server seems to be the standard package.

Now I'd like to be able to use my Blackberry to send personal emails without there being any danger of them being read by my company. If I link my Yahoo mail account to the Blackberry messages application, is there any chance that my company would be able to see those emails, assuming they just installed BES? Is there any chance they could have installed sneakier software that would allow them to spy on me?

Also, and correct me if I'm wrong, I think Gmail gives you the option of installing a separate application on your Blackberry that does not route your email through the Blackberry message program. Would that be a more secure alternative? The downside to gmail program is that I don't think you get automatically notified about new messages and have to open the program separately.

Thanks in advance, sorry if these questions sound dumb.

stopcensoringme · #2 10-12-2007, 08:39 PM

Pretty sure the short answer is no, but I'm not positive, so I won't speculate. However, I'm sure your IT department has better things to do than read your gmail account. There's always a chance for wireless communications to be intercepted if people want the information badly enough. But personal email doesn't usually doesn't make the cut.

Freakin · #3 10-12-2007, 08:46 PM

I'm pretty sure that the blackberry enterprise server will sync all of your messages, yahoo or otherwise.

the gmail program is the best alternative to keep them out of your email, but it definitely doesn't alert you when you get a message

slickpoppa · #4 10-12-2007, 09:00 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I'm pretty sure that the blackberry enterprise server will sync all of your messages, yahoo or otherwise.

the gmail program is the best alternative to keep them out of your email, but it definitely doesn't alert you when you get a message

[/ QUOTE ]

Now that I think about it, when you link multiple email accounts to a blackberry, can you switch between which account the emails get sent from when you send an email from the Blackberry? Does BES change that?

CORed · #5 10-13-2007, 01:15 PM

I have a Blackberry (8700, not 8830) connected to my work email with Blackberry enterprise server. It also has an option to connect to personal POP3 mail servers. As far as I know, the personal email routs through the cell network to the internet to your mail provider without going through the Enterprise Server. While no unencrypted email is completely secure, I don't think Blackberry Enterprise Server is designed to allow companies to spy on their employees' personal emails.

As far as other spyware being installed on the Blackberry, I can't say that it's impossible, but it seems pretty unlikely.

CORed · #6 10-13-2007, 01:17 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'm pretty sure that the blackberry enterprise server will sync all of your messages, yahoo or otherwise.

the gmail program is the best alternative to keep them out of your email, but it definitely doesn't alert you when you get a message

[/ QUOTE ]

Now that I think about it, when you link multiple email accounts to a blackberry, can you switch between which account the emails get sent from when you send an email from the Blackberry? Does BES change that?

[/ QUOTE ]

I have a Blacberry connected to my work email through BES and to my personal email by POP3. When I send a message, I get a prompt asking which account I want to send it through.