Apple devices were the first to be approved for working with classified NATO information: what is known
27 February 16:18
On Thursday, February 26, the American company Apple announced that its iPhone and iPad devices were the first consumer devices to meet NATO information security requirements. This allows them to be used to work with NATO Restricted classified information without installing special software or making special settings. No other consumer mobile device has achieved this level of government certification, Apple said in a press release, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Previously, after thorough testing by experts from the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), the iPhone and iPad were approved for use with German government classified data using standard iOS and iPadOS security features. Now, the iPhone and iPad running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 are certified for such use in all NATO countries.
“Secure digital transformation is only possible if information security is taken into account from the outset of mobile product development,” said BSI President Claudia Plattner. “Based on the BSI’s rigorous audit of the iOS and iPadOS platforms and device security for use in Germany’s classified information environments, we are pleased to confirm compliance with NATO requirements,” she added.
A historic moment for Apple
As part of the certification process, the BSI conducted a comprehensive technical assessment, extensive testing, and in-depth security analysis, confirming that Apple’s built-in security features meet NATO operational requirements. iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 have been added to the NATO Information Security Product Catalog.
“This achievement demonstrates that Apple has changed the traditional approach to security. Before the iPhone, secure devices were only available to large government and corporate structures after huge investments in specialized solutions,” said Ivan Krstic, Apple’s vice president of security systems development.
Apple has created the world’s most secure devices for all its users, and these same security features are now uniquely certified to NATO requirements — unlike any other device in the industry.
