Apple's iOS 5 software passed the government's stringent security assessment to gain the approval, the Herald Sun reported on Friday. Mike Burgess, acting director of Australia's Defence Signals Directorate, approved iOS 5 devices to handle secret information classified at the "Protected" level.
The security evaluation for iOS 5 is said to be the first of its kind for Apple's mobile operating system. The approval means government agencies in Australia that have implemented DSD security advice will be able to use iPhones and iPads.
"Embracing new technologies, such as smartphones and tablet PCs, provides government with a genuine opportunity to conduct its business more efficiently," Burgess said. "However, the threat of government information being stolen or compromised is also very real."
Last June, the security experts at Symantec declared that iOS offers more protection than Google's competing mobile operating system, Android. Specifically, iOS was found to have "full protection" against malware attacks, while Android was deemed to have "little protection."
Symantec also found that iOS has greater protection than Android against abuse and service attacks, data loss, and data integrity attacks. iOS was also found to have greater security feature implementation for access control, application provenance, and encryption.
Apple's iOS-based devices have found a growing presence in government as the operating system's security has been vetted by agencies. In one recent, prominent example, the U.S. Air Force expressed interest in purchasing 18,000 iPads for use on cargo aircraft like the C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster.
28 Comments
Well done. The Aussie government traditionally evaluates RIM and Microsoft software and devices for security needs, but with Apple's iPhone the number one smartphone line in Australia, the pressure was on for iOS to gain some level of approval. As expected they've met the requirements spelled out for them last June.
Apple is hard to ignore with the impact they've made the past few years and I expect other countries should follow suit in the near future.
Good for Apple.
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Symantec also found that iOS has greater protection than Android against abuse and service attacks, data loss, and data integrity attacks. iOS was also found to have greater security feature implementation for access control, application provenance, and encryption...
Lol, Symantec...
Yikes! Could they have used any worse color choices in the rating graphics for those of us who are color blind?
US govt still won't allow govt email on IOS devices.
What about ASIO?