iPhone & iPad Earn NATO's Top Security Seal

In a landmark decision, NATO has certified Apple's standard iPhones and iPads as secure enough to handle classified information up to the "restricted" level. This approval means that devices running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 can now be utilized for sensitive government work across all NATO member nations, a distinction previously held only by specialized hardware.

The certification signifies a major shift in the perception of consumer electronics' security capabilities. Apple's success is attributed to its integrated security architecture, featuring the Secure Enclave within its silicon to isolate critical data, along with protections like Face ID and Memory Integrity Enforcement against various cyber threats.

This recognition follows a similar evaluation by Germany's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), which found Apple devices met NATO's stringent requirements. Ivan Krstić, Apple's VP of Security Engineering and Architecture, highlighted that these certified protections are built into devices used by all consumers, unlike bespoke security solutions for governments.

While not designated as official NATO devices, the approval confirms that Apple's readily available hardware meets the security threshold for environments previously exclusive to custom-built, highly secured equipment. This reinforces Apple's commitment to embedding privacy and security as core tenets of its product development.