South Korean military starts iPhone ban in its major buildings, permits Android

[mpd]

There's some editorializing in the title here. The ban only covers two buildings, and any phone that allows them to add the monitoring they require (not just Android phones) would be acceptable.

[blahedo]

> The ban only covers two buildings

For now, with plans to phase in over a couple years, hence "starts ban".

> any phone that allows [...] (not just Android phones) would be acceptable.

Of which Android phones are the vast majority.

Given that the title field is space-limited, I think the summary is a reasonable one.

[stephengillie]

What happened to the "pattern of lights" that would temporarily disable the iPhone camera? For concerts etc.

[huxley]

As far as I've heard, it was just a patent application, it doesn't seem to have ever been implemented.

[AlexFromBelgium]

What good is software "blocking" hardware functions?! Enemy countries could go around this in no time

[ars]

I assume it's to prevent malware (presumably installed by an enemy), not to prevent the device owner from using the hardware.

Ideally the software is installed in a way (rootkit) that can not be duplicated by remotely installed malware.

[mattmanser]

They've got to justify their budget somehow.

Although in S.Korea's army's case, perhaps not much justification needed.

[oellegaard]

I hope this trend won't spread to Europe. I do not want anyone to install stuff on my phone or monitor it.

[trotsky]

Most NATO countries already ban phones in similar buildings.

[mh-]

you do realize the article is talking about the S. Korean Defense Ministry, right?

[diminish]

Opposite to Korea's Samsung, LG etc, Europe soon won't have much (Nokia) to protect or prefer. In addition France and Germany are traditionally week in mobile and software. so i wouldnt expect any bans .

[andrewpi]

I wonder how they determine that an Android device is actually running their MDM software instead of a fake program that simulates it while being observed by the authorities?

[A1kmm]

I think the intention is to protect government information from being obtained by someone gaining unauthorised access to the phone (e.g. an employee takes their smartphone into the building, goes to a meeting, and someone else compromises an app on the phone and uses it to listen in to the meeting), not to protect against the legitimate owner of the phone.

So the owner of the phone deliberately faking the MDM software is probably outside of the threat model.

That said, someone who managed to root someone else's phone remotely might be able to tamper with the MDM software in advance while wi-fi is still enabled so that it doesn't function correctly.

[wazoox]

News! Some wannabe journalist just discovered what has been the norm everywhere around the world for ten years!

[wazoox]

People obviously misunderstood me. This article talks about military forbidding camera phones and similar devices like something new. In most sensitive facilities around the world, you can't even get in with your telephone, whatever model it is, and particularly if it comes with a camera. The novel (and somewhat praiseworthy) part is that they decided to selectively allow some phones by "controlling" them.

[randomStuff]

This is just so they can favor Samsung Galaxy phones. We save their ass in the Korean war and prevent North Korea from using nuclear weapons Seoul. And, this is how they repay us; typical ingrates.