Israeli Military Bans Use Of Android Phones, Only IPhones Can

IDF can only use the iPhone (photo: dock. unsplash)

JAKARTA The Israeli government will limit the cell phone type of member of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The military agency is known to be prohibited from using Android phones for official purposes.

Launching from the Android Authority, this rule will apply to senior officers with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (Letkol) and above. They will only be allowed to use the iPhone for official connections.

The move is driven by the assumption that the iPhone has a stronger security system than Android devices. Basically, this rule will implement tighter controls for the IDF.

Previously, this rule only applies to the rank of Colonel to Chief of General Staff. With the expansion of the rules, hundreds of senior officers will contribute to overcoming security risks in all troops.

Israel's intelligence agency has previously warned the IDF of social engineering attacks involving Hamas. This attack is said to involve the use of messaging applications such as WhatsApp.

The intelligence agency pointed out that WhatsApp is often used for 'userfare' operations that lure soldiers into disclosing confidential information. This attack can also involve efforts to install malware on devices.

The malware attack is very dangerous because it can expose troop locations in real-time. In addition, the attack could involve hacking files or media stored on military devices.

This new directive will reportedly take effect in a few days. Although it is prohibited for official communications, the IDF is still allowed to use Android phones for personal needs.