NATO says iPhones are secure enough to handle classified data

The Verge · Feb 26, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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Skip to main contentThe devices don’t need special software or settings to hold NATO-restricted information.The devices don’t need special software or settings to hold NATO-restricted information.by Emma RothFeb 26, 2026, 7:08 PM UTCPhoto by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeEmma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.The iPhone and iPad have been approved to hold NATO-restricted information, according to an announcement on Thursday. That means off-the-shelf devices running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 can handle classified information “without requiring special software or settings,” Apple says.The NATO-restricted designation is the lowest level of classified information, and it applies to information that would be “disadvantageous to the interests of NATO” if disclosed, according to a security document posted by the Marines. BlackBerry 10 phones similarly received approval to hold this level of classified information in 2013.Following an “extensive evaluation” by Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), the iPhone and iPad were cleared to handle classified information from the German government. But now, the BSI has signed off on the use of Apple devices with iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 across all NATO nations.Apple says built-in security protections, like encryption, biometric authentication with Face ID, and Memory Integrity Enforcement, which directly targets spyware, “are now recognized as meeting stringent government and international security requirements.”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Emma RothThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)