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iPhone 7 Ousts Samsung Galaxy Note 4 As 'Device of Choice' For UK Defense Officials (thestack.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the apples-to-oranges dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Stack: Apple is to offer its iPhone 7 as the "device of choice" for the UK military's secure communications. British telecom giant BT is said to be hardening the Apple device in order for it to be able to handle the Ministry of Defense's military communications, including state secrets and highly-sensitive data. While BT has not provided further details on the development, due to security reasons, the telco is reportedly in the process of upgrading the iPhone 7 to support various modes of operation and to add secure apps or "storage containers," as well as military-grade encryption features among other enhancements. The iPhone 7 will now replace Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 smartphone, which was originally selected for the project, as security in the Samsung model was found to be inadequate.

18 of 55 comments (clear)

  1. In other news by Lorens · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Remote Attackers Can Force Samsung Galaxy Devices Into Never-Ending Reboot Loop: https://it.slashdot.org/story/...

    Oh, that was just the Slashdot item before this one?

    1. Re:In other news by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 1

      . . . and because it is in a reboot loop . . . the battery gets stressed out . . . and BOOM!

      Obviously Kim Chi's North Korean spies have infiltrated the Samsung battery factories in China, and sabotaged the battery production with the intent of disabling Britain's Armed Forces The Queen's Royal Bengal Lancers and Broom-bathers Battalion.

      North Korea is afraid that the UK, now freed from the EU shackles, is planning to restart its Colony Program, which was wound down following World War II. UK Prime Minister Theresa May has stated that she wants to restore the UK's great, glorious, global Colonial Traditions, and Whitehall Minstrels have informally expressed interest in turning North Korea into a new Hong Kong, with Blackjack, Hookers and Opium Dens.

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  2. It makes no sense! by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 2

    The defense people ought to select the most explosive device.

  3. BT... the mind boggles by Stu101 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I wouldn't trust BT to secure a WIFI point let alone a military system.

    --
    http://www.writeitfor.us - Writing IT for the IT generation.
  4. Re:Security was inadequate? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Because they want a good phone not an android shit box.

  5. Trust Apple by Visarga · · Score: 1

    Because Apple has the same interests as UK, right! Let's put our secrets in their basket.

  6. Re: wonder how much apple paid them for this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Meh, probably nothing. Samsung is a shit company and makes shit devices.

    There are plenty of other good android phones, even better than the iPhone. Not Samsung, though. Android would be better off without them.

  7. This matters... by TWX · · Score: 1

    ...because I have so much in common with UK Defence officials with my needs for a cell phone...

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
  8. foolish by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1, Insightful

    If you trust a consumer-grade device with state secrets then you have lost before you even began.

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:foolish by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      Right. I hear Clinton's private server is up on Ebay.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    2. Re:foolish by Kjella · · Score: 2

      If you trust a consumer-grade device with state secrets then you have lost before you even began.

      The 1990s called and want their 40 bit consumer-grade encryption back, today's systems use the same AES algorithm the US encrypts TOP SECRET information with. Maybe you haven't noticed the FBI is pissed because "consumer devices" are too good? The distinction between consumer and military grade has all but disappeared, except the military usually exists it operates in more extreme temperatures. But even that you have rugged civilian gear that mimics.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    3. Re:foolish by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      If you trust a consumer-grade device with state secrets then you have lost before you even began.

      If you trust a unicorn-grade device with state propaganda then you have won before you even began.

      There, FTFY.

  9. Re:Security was inadequate? by guruevi · · Score: 2

    The problem is that Android devices are less securable. All they're doing to these is installing some profiles and apps for remote management, the 'military grade' encryption features are just the OS'es AES-256 device encryption, it's not like they're making their own system. Android binaries and chipmakers are also heavily controlled by Chinese interest.

    --
    Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
  10. This is Apple's answer to Jobs ... by CaptainDork · · Score: 2

    ... secure phones.

    We're all asking, "what's the next big thing in smart phones (and tablets)?"

    It seems that just about everything's been done:

    - Nice, big screens
    - Advanced cameras
    - Speedier processing
    - Multitasking
    - Sensor accuracy

    What's missing is security.

    I foresee "dark" phones and tablets that are ad-free -- for a price, of course.

    Apple continues to #resist pressure to sell insecure products because that's not what the consumers want; especially in the high-end business and government markets.

    Internet advertising is saturating bandwidth, similar to what email spam did in the past, and is largely ineffective

    --
    It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    1. Re:This is Apple's answer to Jobs ... by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      We're all asking, "what's the next big thing in smart phones (and tablets)?

      Built in taser.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    2. Re:This is Apple's answer to Jobs ... by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      No.

      The battery is too big and using one would be battery.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  11. I'm glad they plugged the leaks by pf100 · · Score: 3, Funny

    A recent study found that classified data has been leaking out of headphone jacks for years!

  12. A better headline by thegarbz · · Score: 1

    UK Defence officials purchase current generation phone instead of an old generation that the vendor has tried to supersede.

    What other revelations are we going to find about now? That the UK defence department opted to buy desktop PCs instead of typewriters?