NATO approves consumer iPhones and iPads for 'restricted' classified data

Technology Oct 06, 2026

Big news: NATO just approved regular iPhones and iPads running standard iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 for handling classified data up to "restricted" level.

This is a first: consumer Apple devices are now trusted with sensitive government info, something that used to be reserved for special hardware.

The move highlights just how strong Apple's security has become.

Germany's BSI tested Apple devices

Germany's Federal Office for Information Security, or BSI, put these devices through tough tests before NATO gave the go-ahead.

Thanks to features like a Secure Enclave that isolates sensitive data, like encryption keys and biometric information, Face ID and Touch ID, Apple made the cut.

As Ivan Krstic, Apple's vice president of Security Engineering and Architecture, puts it, they've built "the most secure devices" out there.

Now, iPhones and iPads officially join the NATO Information Assurance Product Catalogue alongside traditional defense and government vendors, opening doors for their use in secure government operations across all member countries.