Authentica aims to secure BlackBerry e-mail

Authentica next month plans to release an extension to its enterprise rights management software that can lock down e-mail on BlackBerry handhelds. Called Authentica Secure Mobile Mail, the product lets users receive encrypted messages and set permissions on e-mail--for example, when a message can be viewed or blocking forwarding and copy-pasting. E-mail can be set to expire at a certain time or recalled. Administrators can also remotely delete e-mail, which could be useful when a BlackBerry is lost or stolen, according to Authentica, which plans to announce the product on Monday.

The new product requires a small plug-in to be installed on the BlackBerry. It installs in about 10 seconds, an Authentica representative said. It requires an existing Authentica Secure Mail installation, which is available for Microsoft Exchange and currently used by about 200 organizations worldwide, according to Authentica. The BlackBerry feature will add 30 percent of the per-mailbox price Authentica charges for its main product, the representative said. Authentica Secure Mail costs between $15 and $25 per mailbox, depending on how many licenses are bought.