BlackBerry's shares rise after software security pact with Microsoft

(Reuters) - BlackBerry Ltd’s U.S.-listed shares rose nearly 6 percent in pre-market trading on Tuesday after the company said it would partner with Microsoft Corp to provide security for flagship Office apps used by businesses.

FILE PHOTO - A Blackberry sign is seen in front of their offices on the day of their annual general meeting for shareholders in Waterloo, Canada in this June 23, 2015. REUTERS/Mark Blinch/File photo

The partnership comes at a time when companies are ramping up their cybersecurity capabilities after a wave of attacks on high-profile companies pointed to security flaws.

FILE PHOTO: An advertisement is played on a set of large screens at the Microsoft office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., on January 25, 2017. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

BlackBerry has focused on developing security software since it stopped making smartphones in 2016 after failing to compete with Android phones and Apple Inc’s iPhones.

As part of the partnership, the Canadian software maker’s platform, BlackBerry Enterprise Bridge, will allow businesses to securely access Microsoft’s apps such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint on smartphones.

Shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange do not trade before markets open.

Reporting by Yashaswini Swamynathan in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur