iPhone and iPad approved to handle classified NATO information without any additional third-party solutions – 9to5Mac

Today, Apple DESIGNATED that the iPhone and iPad have become the first consumer devices approved for use on NATO’s classified networks. This means that an iPhone running iOS 26 can access restricted NATO data without requiring any specialized security software or custom hardware modifications.

In a statement to 9 to 5 Mac, Ivan Krstić, Apple’s vice president of Security Engineering and Architecture, said:

“This achievement recognizes that Apple has transformed the way security has traditionally been delivered. Before the iPhone, secure devices were only available to sophisticated government and enterprise organizations after a massive investment in custom security solutions. Instead, Apple has built the world’s most secure devices for all of its users, and those same protections are now uniquely certified to the security requirements of other NATO countries, unlike any other NATO.”

How Apple achieved NATO certification

For many certifications like this, it’s not just about releasing a new operating system. It is a long and continuous process. iPhone and iPad previously received approval to handle classified German government data using native iOS and iPadOS security measures. This came after extensive evaluation, technical evaluations and in-depth security analysis by e German Federal Office for Information Security (Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik, or BSI). Now, based on that rigorous BSI approval, iPhones and iPads with iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 are officially certified for such use in all NATO countries.

After that initial success, Apple took the next step. Devices running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 are now officially listed on the Catalog of NATO Information Assurance Products. This certification relies on key security features already built into every modern iPhone and iPad:

• Best-in-class encryption
• Biometric authentication with Face ID and Touch ID
• Memory Integrity Enforcement is baked into Apple Silicon

“Secure digital transformation is only successful if information security is considered from the beginning in the development of mobile products,” said Claudia Plattner, president of BSI. “Extending BSI’s rigorous audit of the iOS and iPadOS platform and device security for use in classified German information environments, we are pleased to confirm compliance with NATO countries’ security requirements.”

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While most of us will never need to access NATO-restricted data, this certification matters. It validates the security architecture of iPhone and iPad. Similar to when an organization reaches FedRAMP THEM for US government contracts, its enterprises and commercial customers gain additional confidence in the company’s security posture. The fact that Apple achieved this certification with its “stock” iPhone and iPad hardware, without additional security software, is a testament to the incredible work Apple has done to build a strong security program while maintaining a great end-user experience.