FAQ: How To Password Protect Your BlackBerry

I am paranoid about security so I found this Knowledgebase article by RIM very useful. In this article RIM describes the exact steps you need to take to put your BlackBerry device in lockdown. It does not include instructions on how to encrypt the memory card and device memory but that is a straight forward menu option. If you are interested just leave a comment.

From the Knowledgebase:

BlackBerry smartphones support individual security passwords between four and fourteen characters in length. The use of the password is designed to ensure that only the BlackBerry smartphone user can access the information stored on the BlackBerry smartphone.

The BlackBerry smartphone rejects less secure passwords, such as those composed of identical characters or those that consist of natural sequences (for example, 1234).

Set a BlackBerry smartphone password

1. From the Home screen of the BlackBerry smartphone, click Options.
2. Click Security Options.
3. Click General Settings.Note: If you are running BlackBerry Device Software 4.0.2 or earlier, click Options, then Security.
4. Change the Password field to Enabled.
5. Display the menu and click Save.
6. Type your new password and click Enter.
7. Verify your new password by typing it again and click Enter

Change the BlackBerry smartphone password

1. From the Home screen of the BlackBerry smartphone, click Options.
2. Click Security Options.
3. Click General Settings.Note: If you are running BlackBerry Device Software 4.0.2 or earlier, click Options, then Security.
4. Display the menu and click Change Password.
5. Type your existing password and click Enter.
6. Type your new password and click Enter.
7. Verify your new password by typing it again and click Enter.

Turn on password protection using the Security Timeout feature

Security Timeout is a feature that, after a predetermined amount of inactivity, will lock the BlackBerry smartphone automatically.

To enable Security Timeout, complete the following steps:

1. From the Home screen of the BlackBerry smartphone, click Options.
2. Click Security Options.
3. Click General Settings.
4. Set the Security Timeout field to the amount of inactivity the BlackBerry smartphone is permitted before it is locked automatically.
5. Display the menu and click Save.

Note: Clicking Lock on the Home screen instantly locks the BlackBerry smartphone.

Unlock the BlackBerry smartphone

1. Press any key on the BlackBerry smartphone to display the Enter Password screen.
2. Type your BlackBerry smartphone password. Press Enter.

Important: If a password in incorrectly typed ten consecutive times, all data on the BlackBerry smartphone will automatically be deleted. This is a security feature.

Additional Information

When the Security Timeout feature is set for a longer duration than the Backlight Timeout feature, the BlackBerry smartphone will lock automatically when the combined duration of the features has elapsed. For example, if the Backlight Timeout feature is set to dim after two minutes and the Security Timeout feature is set for 20 minutes, the BlackBerry smartphone will not automatically lock until 22 minutes has elapsed.