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Using IT administration commands to protect a lost or stolen device

The BlackBerry® Enterprise Server includes IT administration commands that you can send over the wireless network to protect sensitive data on a BlackBerry device. You can use the commands to lock the device, permanently delete work data, permanently delete user information and application data, and return the device settings to the default values.

IT administration command

Description

Specify new device password and lock device

This command creates a new password and locks a device over the wireless network. You can communicate the new password to the user verbally when the BlackBerry device user locates the device. When the user unlocks the device, the device prompts the user to accept or reject the new password.

You can use this command if the device is lost. If you or a user turned on content protection and a device is running BlackBerry® Device Software 4.3.0 or later, you can use this command. If you or a user turned on two-factor content protection, you cannot use this command.

Delete only the organization data and remove device

This command permanently deletes all work data that the device stores and removes the device from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. All personal data remains on the device.

You can send this command to a personal device when a user no longer works at your organization and you want to delete work data from the device.

You can also specify whether you want to delete or disable a user account from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server after the device deletes all work data.

Delete all device data and remove device
This command permanently deletes all user information and application data that the device stores. You can configure the following options when you use this command:
  • specify a delay, in hours, that must occur before the device starts to delete all the user information and application data
  • require the device to return to its factory default settings when it receives this command
  • specify whether to permit the user to stop permanently deleting data from the device and making the device unavailable during the delay period

You can send this command to a device that you want to distribute to another user in your organization, or to a device that is lost and that the user might not recover.

You can also specify whether you want to delete or disable a user account from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server after the device deletes all user information and application data.

Protect a stolen device

  1. In the BlackBerry® Administration Service, on the BlackBerry solution management menu, expand User.
  2. Click Manage users.
  3. Search for a user account.
  4. In the search results, click the PIN for the user account.
  5. In the Device activation list, click Delete all device data and remove device.
  6. Click Yes - Delete all device data and remove device.
  7. Optionally, in the Removing users and devices section, in the Actions drop-down list, perform one of the following actions:
    • To delete a user account from the BlackBerry® Enterprise Server but retain the BlackBerry Enterprise Server information in the user's mailbox, click Delete the user.
    • To delete a user account from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and remove the BlackBerry Enterprise Server information from the user's mailbox, click Delete the user and remove BlackBerry information from the user's messaging system.
    • To disable a user account from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server but retain the BlackBerry Enterprise Server information in the user's mailbox, click Disable as BlackBerry user.
    • To disable a user account from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and remove the BlackBerry Enterprise Server information from the user's mailbox, click Disable the user and remove BlackBerry information from the user's messaging system.
After you finish:
  • Verify that the BlackBerry device received the command.
  • Contact your organization's wireless service provider to turn off the service for a device after you send the IT administration command that deletes all of the device data and deactivates the device.
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Protect a lost device

If a user misplaces a BlackBerry® device or if a device is stolen, you can protect the data on the device by locking the device or making it unavailable.
  1. In the BlackBerry Administration Service, on the BlackBerry solution management menu, expand User.
  2. Click Manage users.
  3. Search for a user account.
  4. In the search results, click the PIN for the user account.
  5. In the Device activation section, click Specify new device password and lock device.
  6. Type and confirm an activation password. For devices that are running BlackBerry® Device Software version 4.1 and earlier, the password must not contain special characters. Some devices do not support special characters and do not unlock when a user types a password that contains special characters.
  7. Click Specify new device password and lock device.
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Protect a lost device that a user might not recover

If a BlackBerry® device is lost but the device user might recover it, you can protect the information on the device by scheduling it to start deleting all user information and application data and to become unavailable after a period of time that you specify. You can also specify whether the user can cancel the scheduled command if the user recovers the device.
  1. In the BlackBerry Administration Service, on the BlackBerry solution management menu, expand User.
  2. Click Manage users.
  3. Search for a user account.
  4. In the search results, click the PIN for the user account.
  5. In the Device activation section, click Delete all device data and remove device.
  6. In the Erase Data Settings section, perform the following actions:

    • In the Erase Data Delay (hours) field, type the number of hours that must elapse before the BlackBerry device starts deleting user information and application data.

    • In the Allow User Override drop-down list, click Yes to permit the user to cancel the scheduled command on the BlackBerry device if the user recovers it.
  7. Optionally, in the Removing users and devices section, in the Actions drop-down list, perform one of the following actions:
    • To delete a user account from the BlackBerry® Enterprise Server but retain the BlackBerry Enterprise Server information in the user's mailbox, click Delete the user.
    • To delete a user account from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and remove the BlackBerry Enterprise Server information from the user's mailbox, click Delete the user and remove BlackBerry information from the user's messaging system.
    • To disable a user account from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server but retain the BlackBerry Enterprise Server information in the user's mailbox, click Disable as BlackBerry user.
    • To disable a user account from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and remove the BlackBerry Enterprise Server information from the user's mailbox, click Disable the user and remove BlackBerry information from the user's messaging system.
  8. Click Yes - Delete all device data and remove device.
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