Cracks open in DSD's iOS shield

Secondly, Sheridan as well noted that DSD had meanwhile published in June a guide to hardening the security on iOS devices - including the iPod Touch, the iPhone and the iPad.

The guide stops short of approving the Apple devices for government use - stating up front that it does not constitute a DSD certification or formal evaluation of the iOS platform. To boot, DSD notes in the document that it does not recommend iOS for use at the Government's 'Protected'/'Restricted' level - only for information cleared as being 'Unclassified' or 'Unclassified in-confidence'.

However, DSD acknowledged in the guide that due to "the high level usage of iOS devices in Government", it was working closely with Apple to evaluate the iOS platform, with an expected completion date, as Sheridan mentioned, of September this year.

In its document, DSD listed a number of policies which it recommended be applied to iPhones in use in government. They range from encryption on the device, to the use of passcode, to halting synching of information with an iTunes account, the use of two factor authentication with email, virtual private networks on demand when all is said and done on.

Generally, DSD's suggestions for iPhone security become more restrictive the higher the security level of the information which is being accesses. For instance, for a high-level Restricted/Protected information users, DSD recommends that only agency-approved applications be able to be installed on users' iOS devices, and that an agency-controlled iTunes account be used. A whitelist could be used via mobile device management to ensure that only approved applications are installed.

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