BlackBerry (News - Alert) has long been the phone of choice for governmental use due to their mobile encryption and security levels, but now there’s a new kid in town. CACI International, Inc. has taken the iPad and modified it into a “neutered iPad,” making these devices secure for government use by altering the hardware instead of providing software and according to Bloomberg (News - Alert); “thousands” of iPads have been modified.
“It’s a neutered iPad,” Allen said today during a meeting with Bloomberg Government reporters and editors. “We’re working on how [to] effectively brand it.”
In addition, “We’re looking at how do you go chase that market and how do you put partnerships in place,” Allen said. “The things that we’re doing with Apple around mobility – it’s a broad market play.”
Although CACI is hush-hush on what specific modifications were made to make neutered iPads – except the removal of Wi-Fi and camera features, which are considered security risks – it’s apparent that the feds are investing heavily into mobile technology.
For example, the Defense Department announced last year it planned to open its networks to both iPhones and Android (News - Alert)-based smartphones.
This move toward mobile technology comes with its share of problems, as in the case of the U.S. Air Force, which withdrew plans to purchase thousands of iPads over security concerns about software originated in Russia.
Even so, mobile technology for the Feds is being used in every echelon, all the way up to President Obama, where the question was raised if his iPad was a “neutered” iPad.
Allen said iPads used by U.S. government leaders are “most likely a product that either came from us or came from someone we work with.”