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Department of Defense Ready to Approve iOS 6 for High-Security Uses

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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The U.S. Department of Defense is readying a new government approval for iOS devices to be used by military agencies for nonclassified communications. This is apparently a separate approval from the "commercial mobile device implementation plan" that the DoD announced a few months ago.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the certification would not only allow more widespread use of iPhones and iPads across the military, but would signal to other security conscious companies like banks and law firms that these devices are safe to use.
Separately, DISA is expected to rule that Apple's latest operating system, iOS 6, conforms to a different security-requirement guide, these people said. That would allow iPhones and iPads to be used by military agencies for nonclassified communications, like email and Web browsing.
Click to expand...
The DoD is also preparing to sign off on Samsung's Galaxy line of phones for similar uses.

Article Link: Department of Defense Ready to Approve iOS 6 for High-Security Uses
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/05/01/department-of-defense-ready-to-approve-ios-6-for-high-security-uses/
I

iMikeT

macrumors 68020
Jul 8, 2006
2,304
1
California
If it's just iOS 6, will the DoD stay on that version when iOS 7 comes and play the "one version behind" game until each subsequent update is deemed "safe"?
 
M

Martin92

macrumors newbie
Jul 29, 2012
16
0
The DoD is also preparing to sign off on Samsung's Galaxy line of phones for similar uses.
Click to expand...

Immediately discredits this article, iOS 6 != hardware. And if they're about to useAndroid for "high security" purposes then i'd assume they have pretty low security requirements.
 
A

aeneas07

macrumors newbie
Jun 30, 2005
20
7
It is interesting that they are also approving Samsung devices, despite running Android, which has proven to be less than secure. I wonder if they will approve phones by company or just all of android.
 
K

komodrone

macrumors 6502
Apr 26, 2011
499
0
iMikeT said:
If it's just iOS 6, will the DoD stay on that version when iOS 7 comes and play the "one version behind" game until each subsequent update is deemed "safe"?
Click to expand...

pretty sure 99% of IT people would agree with you.
 
crisss1205

crisss1205

macrumors 6502a
Oct 7, 2008
931
267
NYC
Martin92 said:
Immediately discredits this article, iOS 6 != hardware. And if they're about to useAndroid for "high security" purposes then i'd assume they have pretty low security requirements.
Click to expand...

Samsung's line of Galaxy Phones have something called "Samsung SAFE" which is not part of Android. Like iOS, SAFE provides:
  • Advanced Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync features
  • On-device AES 256-bit encryption
  • VPN connectivity
  • Top-tier, multivendor Mobile Device Management support
 
A

alexgowers

macrumors 65816
Jun 3, 2012
1,338
892
Yeah sammy being on the list makes me quiver with fear. Android in any form is just a worm hole of hurt in a military environment. I don't care if its Samsung safe that's just balls.
 
D

Dan--

macrumors regular
Jul 30, 2008
237
23
Still probably won't install wifi so the devices can actually be used.
 
BC2009

BC2009

macrumors 68020
Jul 1, 2009
2,237
1,393
iMikeT said:
If it's just iOS 6, will the DoD stay on that version when iOS 7 comes and play the "one version behind" game until each subsequent update is deemed "safe"?
Click to expand...

For the DoD to be only "one version behind" would be a huge step forward. I remember working with a government agency who needed their app to run on IE5 when iE8 was the newest version of IE.
 
pezj

pezj

macrumors member
Jun 10, 2012
94
25
First time long time...
Only took the US Government 8 months after it was released to approve it. Not too shabby at all.
 
Oletros

Oletros

macrumors 603
Jul 27, 2009
6,002
60
Premià de Mar
aeneas07 said:
It is interesting that they are also approving Samsung devices, despite running Android, which has proven to be less than secure. I wonder if they will approve phones by company or just all of android.
Click to expand...

How has been proven less than secure?

alexgowers said:
Android in any form is just a worm hole of hurt in a military environment.
Click to expand...

Why?


Good that DoD clears Apple for use
 
Wicked1

Wicked1

macrumors 68040
Apr 13, 2009
3,283
14
New Jersey
iMikeT said:
If it's just iOS 6, will the DoD stay on that version when iOS 7 comes and play the "one version behind" game until each subsequent update is deemed "safe"?
Click to expand...

Having worked for the DOD, they generally are a version or so behind, because it takes them a while to approve new software.
 
OldSchoolMacGuy

OldSchoolMacGuy

Suspended
Jul 10, 2008
4,197
9,050
iMikeT said:
If it's just iOS 6, will the DoD stay on that version when iOS 7 comes and play the "one version behind" game until each subsequent update is deemed "safe"?
Click to expand...

This is always how it works. The approval process is very long. Right now they aren't running the newest versions of Android or Windows either.

NIST has to approve it first. Generally then others do too after NIST does. FBI always takes a year or so in most cases.

This is from having worked with software approval with these agencies in the past. Having said that, it's also partly down to how complicated the program is. Obviously they can approve a small app much quicker than an entire OS. It's also part of how badly they want it. If there is a new app out there that does something they really want (pull passwords from a computer for instance), they'll make that testing and approval happen much quicker (although it can still take a while).
 
flottenheimer

flottenheimer

macrumors 68000
Jan 8, 2008
1,528
651
Up north
So, where do I get a "United States of America — Department of Defence"-approved sticker and a hardcore milistyle cover for my iPhone?
 
S

SirLance99

macrumors 6502
Jul 15, 2011
385
36
Martin92 said:
Immediately discredits this article, iOS 6 != hardware. And if they're about to useAndroid for "high security" purposes then i'd assume they have pretty low security requirements.
Click to expand...

You have no idea what you're talking about. Knox and SAFE from Samsung is extremely secure.

aeneas07 said:
It is interesting that they are also approving Samsung devices, despite running Android, which has proven to be less than secure. I wonder if they will approve phones by company or just all of android.
Click to expand...

Once again, someone who doesn't know what they are talking about

komodrone said:
pretty sure 99% of IT people would agree with you.
Click to expand...

Are you guys really in the bag with Apple this much?

crisss1205 said:
Samsung's line of Galaxy Phones have something called "Samsung SAFE" which is not part of Android. Like iOS, SAFE provides:
  • Advanced Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync features
  • On-device AES 256-bit encryption
  • VPN connectivity
  • Top-tier, multivendor Mobile Device Management support
Click to expand...

Finally someone with some sense

alexgowers said:
Yeah sammy being on the list makes me quiver with fear. Android in any form is just a worm hole of hurt in a military environment. I don't care if its Samsung safe that's just balls.
Click to expand...

Get over yourself
 
2

2bikes

macrumors 6502
Mar 9, 2012
420
4
crisss1205 said:
Samsung's line of Galaxy Phones have something called "Samsung SAFE" which is not part of Android. Like iOS, SAFE provides:
  • Advanced Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync features
  • On-device AES 256-bit encryption
  • VPN connectivity
  • Top-tier, multivendor Mobile Device Management support
Click to expand...

So does this mean rest of the Andorid phones are not secure enough?

I think one thing that is concerning was the report from couple of months ago showing the malware written for different operating systems. Android was clearly ahead. This is of course only one data point. Could mean a lot of different things.
 
pubwvj

pubwvj

macrumors 68000
Oct 1, 2004
1,901
208
Mountains of Vermont
That's our government! Always on top of things and at the vanguard. How many years until they reach OS7? Yes, I realize it isn't out yet but OS6 is about to become history when the USgov finally gets it. :)
 
E

Exhale

macrumors 6502a
Sep 20, 2011
512
145
2bikes said:
I think one thing that is concerning was the report from couple of months ago showing the malware written for different operating systems. Android was clearly ahead. This is of course only one data point. Could mean a lot of different things.
Click to expand...
When discussing security that these certifications (and laws) evaluate and require - number of malware is irrelevant. Particularly when the source of said malware happens to be just about the first thing that would be sealed off.

Computer security is about:
Accountability, Authentication, Nonrepuditiation, Integrity, and Confidentiality.
 
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