(Staff file photo)
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The Defense Department will allow government-issued iPhones and iPads to connect to the military’s networks, the Pentagon announced Friday.
The Defense Information Systems Agency approved Apple mobile devices using the iOS 6 operating system. But DISA only approved government-issued iPhones and iPads, and said that personally-owned Apple mobile devices will not be allowed on military networks.
The department said the approval of Apple devices is a vital step towards creating a multi-vendor environment that allows the government to choose from several different mobile products. DISA has already approved the BlackBerry and Samsung Knox operating systems.
DISA is currently setting up Defense’s Mobility Device Management system, which will provide a process to manage and distribute mobile applications and improved cybersecurity defenses.
“All of these pieces must be in place to allow the secure use of commercial mobile devices on department networks,” Mark Orndorff, DISA information assurance executive and program executive officer for mission assurance and network operations, said in a statement. “DISA is running a pilot program today where we bring this all together.”
Defense hopes to be able to support roughly 100,000 mobile devices from multiple vendors by February 2014.
