The Australian government has been certified to use iPhones and iPads for the transmission of classified information.
The Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) worked with several government agencies to secure devices to safely run iOS version 5.
“Embracing new technologies, such as smartphones and tablet PCs, provides government with a genuine opportunity to conduct its business more efficiently,” said Mike Burgess, acting director at DSD, in a statement.
“However the threat of government information being stolen or compromised is also very real,” he said.
The Apple operating system underwent a series of evaluations and assessments to ensure it met security requirements.
A hardening guide has been released by DSD, which states “agencies wishing to differ from the mandatory controls specified in this guide must note that the product will no longer fall under the evaluated configuration. In these cases, agencies should seek approval for non-compliance from their agency head and/or accreditation authority to allow for the formal acceptance of the risks involved.”
Computerworld Australia reported last year that DSD’s initial evaluation was expected to be released in September 2011, shortly after the company certified the BlackBerry PlayBook for use by the government in August 2011.
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