The Pentagon is set to use Samsung Galaxy devices despite previous reservations over the security of the Android operating system.
The US Department of Defense [DoD] has added five Galaxy phones and tablets to a list of approved products for use in the Pentagon, even though Homeland Security released a report last summer claiming Android is 100 times more vulnerable than Apple’s iOS.
The Galaxy S4, Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 and Galaxy Note 10 are all on the list, running Android 4.4 (KitKat).
They also run Samsung’s own KNOX system, a workplace security platform that offers system-level encryption for enterprise apps.
Injong Rhee, senior VP of KNOX Business for Samsung, said the security platform was central to securing government adoption.
"It is the unique combination of security and interoperability that enables Samsung to meet the DoD’s rigorous requirements with an unparalleled selection of commercial off-the-shelf devices, pre-approved for U.S. military and federal use," he said in a statement.
The news underlines Samsung’s push into the enterprise space, and comes after the UK Government gave a stamp of approval to Samsung’s security software, meaning employees can use Samsung devices for official communication.
may come as a blow to rivals Microsoft, whose own Windows 8 devices were licensed for use in the US Government last year.
It may also come as bad news to struggling BlackBerry – which gained Pentagon approval for devices running BB10 last May – due to its reliance on its security IP as a selling point.
The Canadian company used a London event last week to reveal a five-point strategy to boost adoption in the enterprise space.
