BlackBerry Strengthens Software Supply Chain with Corporate-Wide OpenChain ISO/IEC 5230:2020 Conformance
First North American Company to Adopt International Open Source Standard Across its Entire Product Portfolio
WATERLOO, ONTARIO and SAN FRANCISCO, CA – March 17, 2022 – BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) today announced that it is the first company based in North America to adopt and conform to OpenChain ISO / IEC 5230:2020 across its entire product portfolio. OpenChain is the International Standard for open-source license compliance and is designed to build trust in the supply chain. BlackBerry saw the need to lead in this space to adopt a higher standard for its software supply chain.
The new accreditation will enable BlackBerry customers to have increased confidence in the company’s ability to manage the use of open source software across its Cybersecurity and IoT product portfolio. As the frequency and severity of cybersecurity attacks grow and stringent regulatory standards like President Biden’s Cybersecurity Executive Order come into effect, the need to have holistic visibility into the security of the software supply chain is of paramount importance, particularly when managing open source software.
BlackBerry is the first company in North America to gain company-wide OpenChain ISO/IEC 5230:2020 conformance and collaborated with OSS Consultants to achieve the accreditation. OpenChain encourages self-certification, independent assessment, and third-party certification as options for entities seeking to address the risk profile of their supply chain.
"It is hard to overstate the importance of today's announcement," says Shane Coughlan, OpenChain General Manager. "BlackBerry has one of the deepest industry pedigrees in bringing increased peace of mind to enterprise and governmental organizations. Certifying their open source software management underlines their commitment to excellence and serves as a beacon for other companies to follow."
"We are extremely proud to be the first company based in North America to announce whole entity conformance to OpenChain ISO/IEC 5230:2020," said Charles Eagan, Chief Technology Officer at BlackBerry. "BlackBerry continues to lead in securely developing software. We realized the importance of leveraging Open Source Software and recognized the need for a robust process to manage the use of it in our products."
“As trusted consultants that have helped organizations of all sizes implement Open Source Programs, we were thrilled to partner with BlackBerry to attain the first whole-entity OpenChain conformance in North America. The OpenChain Project has set a high standard of open-source compliance within the supply chain and across the world," said Russ Eling, CEO and Founder of OSS Consultants."
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About BlackBerry
BlackBerry (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) provides intelligent security software and services to enterprises and governments around the world. The company secures more than 500M endpoints including over 195M vehicles. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company leverages AI and machine learning to deliver innovative solutions in the areas of cybersecurity, safety and data privacy solutions, and is a leader in the areas of endpoint management, endpoint security, encryption, and embedded systems. BlackBerry’s vision is clear - to secure a connected future you can trust.
BlackBerry. Intelligent Security. Everywhere.
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About OSS Consultants:
OSS Consultants is a business dedicated to helping organizations of all sizes - from the world’s largest and well-known companies to small businesses and start-ups - design, implement, and manage the most efficient, comprehensive and robust open-source program offices and policies on the planet. Service offerings range from a scan and audit of your third-party and proprietary software to creating a full OSPO within your organization. Find more information at www.ossconsultants.com.
About the OpenChain Project
The OpenChain Project maintains the International Standard for open source license compliance. This allows companies of all sizes and in all sectors to adopt the key requirements of a quality open source compliance program. This is an open standard and all parties are welcome to engage with our community, to share their knowledge, and to contribute to the future of our standard.
About The Linux Foundation
The Linux Foundation is the organization of choice for the world’s top developers and companies to build ecosystems that accelerate open technology development and industry adoption. Together with the worldwide open source community, it is solving the hardest technology problems by creating the largest shared technology investment in history. Founded in 2000, The Linux Foundation today provides tools, training and events to scale any open source project, which together deliver an economic impact not achievable by any one company. More information can be found at www.linuxfoundation.org.
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