May 05, 2017
The Smart Move for the DOD on Smartphoness
President Trump’s reluctance to give up his personal smartphone following his inauguration is well documented. It’s also understandable. The highly modified, top secret, certified smartphone that “goes with the office” is so secure it won’t run apps. Former President Barack Obama compared it to a toddler’s phone — no texts, no photos, and he could only make calls from a restricted contact list.
While the president’s phone is a unique case, the widening divide between most commercial smartphones and the devices issued to federal employees is a problem. Outdated devices hobbled by restrictive security measures are a staple in organizations that deal with sensitive information. Nowhere is this clearer than at the Pentagon.
Allowing Defense Department employees to use their personal devices for work — if they meet minimum security standards and are equipped with additional security functions — would be cheaper, easier to manage and lead to better technology outcomes.
Read the full article in FedTech Magazine.
More from CNAS
-
Can China’s Military Win the Tech War?
Commentary
The United States and its allies should take seriously Beijing’s efforts to militarize China’s technological base....
By Anja Manuel & Kathleen Hicks
-
Transcript from Emerging Concepts in Joint Command and Control
Transcript
On Wednesday, May 20, 2020, the CNAS Technology and National Security Program hosted a virtual panel discussion on emerging concepts in joint command and control featuring Hon...
By Robert O. Work, Chris Dougherty & Paul Scharre
-
What the government should or should not do to help space industry
Commentary
The COVID-19 economic slowdown will have lasting implications on the new space sector. Yet the United States cannot afford another lost decade of commercial space innovation. ...
By Mikhail Grinberg
-
Time for the US to declare independence from China
Commentary
Americans now know they can’t rely on China or even our allies to produce the goods we need during a pandemic. That’s why it’s time for the United States government to do what...
By Anthony Vinci & Dr. Nadia Schadlow
