Data flow: Accessing an application or content server using BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus

This data flow describes how data travels when an app on a device that is configured to use BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus accesses an application or content server in your organization.

This data flow does not apply to BlackBerry Dynamics apps in the work space on Android Enterprise devices or Samsung Knox Workspace devices. For more information see, Data flow: Sending and receiving work data from a BlackBerry Dynamics app on an Android device using BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus


Diagram showing the steps and components mentioned in the following data flow.

  1. The user opens an app to access work data from a content or application server behind your organization's firewall.
    • For Android Enterprise devices, all work space apps except those you choose to restrict use BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus.
    • For Samsung Knox Workspace devices, you specify whether all work space apps or only specified work apps use BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus.
    • For iOS devices, you specify whether all apps or only specified apps use BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus.
  2. The device sends a requests through a TLS tunnel, over port 443, to the BlackBerry Infrastructure to request a secure tunnel to the work network. The signal is encrypted by default using FIPS-140 certified Certicom libraries. The signaling tunnel is encrypted end-to-end.
  3. BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus receives the request from the BlackBerry Infrastructure through port 3101.
  4. The device and BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus negotiate the tunnel parameters and establish a secure tunnel for the device through the BlackBerry Infrastructure. The tunnel is authenticated and encrypted end-to-end with DTLS.
  5. The app uses the tunnel to connect to the application or content server using standard IPv4 protocols (TCP and UDP).
  6. BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus transfers the IP data to and from your organization's network. BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus encrypts and decrypts traffic using FIPS-140 certified Certicom libraries.
  7. The app receives and displays the data on the device.
  8. As long as the tunnel is open, supported apps use it to access network resources. When the tunnel is no longer the best available method to connect to your organization's network, BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus terminates it.