Re:IDF tightens cellphone regulations, bars Android phones
by duxup on Monday December 01, 2025 @03:13PM
(#46112547)
Long ago I worked for a group that once in a long while would send someone onsite to fix some proprietary hardware. It was for a US military contractor, but the site was all US military. The process was to take your car key, ID, computer and spare hardware you were bringing in the rental car and follow the instructions to the location. Nothing else (yes you had clothes). You expected to leave with just your ID and key (taken at the gate) and anything else would likely be confiscated.
When you arrived everything was searched, you were blindfolded, driven and walked blindfolded until you were right in front of the rack of equipment to work on. Even a trip to the bathroom was accompanied by a soldier.
Laptop, hardware, all was left behind when you were done.
I remember thinking "pretty smart, that's pretty secure".
Now I don't think there's any other way than to keep personal mobile devices out of the loop.
And for people of high rank ... I gotta think their kids / family mobile devices are a target too, pickup something over dinner discussion maybe.
When you arrived everything was searched, you were blindfolded, driven and walked blindfolded until you were right in front of the rack of equipment to work on. Even a trip to the bathroom was accompanied by a soldier.
Laptop, hardware, all was left behind when you were done.
I remember thinking "pretty smart, that's pretty secure".
Now I don't think there's any other way than to keep personal mobile devices out of the loop.
And for people of high rank ... I gotta think their kids / family mobile devices are a target too, pickup something over dinner discussion maybe.
We've kinda bugged ourselves with these things.
Also "android" could mean any number of devices with their own old software / security flaws.
They are not. See NSO. Maybe they consider this an advantage (known platform) compared with Android where every vendor has its own kernel.