BlackBerry posts surprise quarterly profit

CALIFORNIA, Dec 21 (Reuters): Canada's BlackBerry reported a surprise quarterly profit on Wednesday, backed by a resilient demand for cybersecurity services amid rising online threats.
While IT spending has dwindled over the past year, cybersecurity-related expenditure has remained stable as businesses and governments scramble to beef up their systems against hackers.
Over the past few months, casino giants such as MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment faced large data breaches, forcing businesses to prioritize cybersecurity.
Earlier this month, BlackBerry discarded its initial public offering plans for its Internet of Things (IoT) business, but still expects to split the IoT and Cybersecurity businesses into fully standalone divisions.