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Information stored in BlackBerry devices is securely protected with an individual security password (device password). This password is requested every time the device it turned on, or every time after a certain timeout if Security Timeout option is selected. If a password in typed incorrectly ten times in a row, all information on the BlackBerry smartphone is wiped clear, leaving no chance of subsequent recovery. This is a security feature, and one of the hallmarks of BlackBerry security model.

BlackBerry smartphones have an option to encrypt the contents of a removable media card, making any information stored on it only accessible to an authorized user. To the contrary of this feature’s intent, those opting for extra security may be actually opening a way to recover the device password. A BlackBerry device is not required to perform the recovery. A single file from the removable media card is all that’s needed; the password recovery rate is millions passwords per second.

If a user-selectable option to encrypt the contents of a removable media card is selected, EPB can analyze information stored on the media card and derive the original device password without the need to use the BlackBerry device itself. Please note that Media Card encryption should be set to either Security Password or Device Password mode (but not to Device Key or Device Password & Device Key).

NOTE: Even if Device Password or Device Password & Device Key option is set on the BlackBerry device, you can still recover device password via EPB (Windows version). But decrypting SD card is only possible when Device Password only used for encryption.

For more information on media card encryption, please read How to encrypt files on an installed media card in the BlackBerry smartphone and Expectations when encryption is enabled for a media card in a BlackBerry smartphone.