Android phones are still OK. This is Samsung’s home, after all.

MDM Hindered

What’s the craic? Hwang Joo-young heralds this breathless “exclusive:” Korean military set to ban iPhones over ‘security’ concerns

“Samsung”
[The] comprehensive ban on iPhones in military buildings [is] due to increasing concerns about possible leaks of sensitive information through voice recordings. … Headquarters released an internal announcement … instructing a complete prohibition on any device capable of voice recording and which do not permit third-party apps to control inherent functions, effective June 1, with “iPhones” cited as items subject to the ban.
…
Android-based smartphones—mostly those from Samsung Electronics—will be exempted from the ban, while the document explicitly states that “Bringing in iPhones will be completely prohibited.” … iPhones do not fully comply with the restrictions outlined by the National Defense Mobile Security, a mobile device management application operated by the military authorities, [because] Apple does not allow third-party apps to control iPhones’ inherent features.

Predictably, the Apple-faithful vented at the news. For example, Mike Wuerthele: iPhone isn’t secureable enough for the South Korea military – but Android is

“Mostly symbolic”
The ban, in Samsung’s backyard, … has less to do with security and more to do with a poorly crafted mobile device management suite coupled with nationalism. … Beyond potential favoritism for the home-grown devices, it’s not clear why.
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The apparently faulty South Korean military MDM aside, … South Korea’s potential iPhone ban spanning all military buildings and personnel is extreme. … Seven in 10 South Korean military members are Samsung users. So, the ban appears to be mostly symbolic.

But other scribblers eyerolled furiously. Such as Nick Farrell, who should have said, “panties in a bunch,” perhaps: South Korean military wants to ban iPhones

The Tame Apple Press has gotten its knickers in a twist. … Rather than questioning why the MDM is prevented from switching off the microphone when it can do it with Android phones, the Tame Apple Press insists that it must have to do with the … National Defense Mobile Security mobile device management app.

This is the home of Samsung Electronics. pleasantpeasant pens pithily: [You’re fired—Ed.]

Is anyone surprised S. Korea is choosing Samsung’s preferred OS, Android?

Theoretically, South Korea is still at war with the North. As HBI reminds us:

Security concerns are justified: NK sympathizers are always gathering intel from them. This is a country where a small unit raid or artillery fire mission could happen at any time.
…
So when they ban mobile device microphones for OPSEC reasons, I don’t argue all that much. With that said, their security posture is good but their actual IT is not as great as it could be.

But couldn’t an MDM also restrict iPhones? No, says this thrown away throwaway account:

Apple totally allows [MDM] for well over a decade: Company management profile gets installed on device, with which company gets to remotely block certain functionality/lock it/erase everything/etc. [But the] list of functionality the company could disable [has] nothing related to microphone.

Are we surprised? Dewme is unsurprised, totally:

Totally unsurprising: … The South Korean military has far more influence over a domestic company like Samsung than it does over Apple. If push comes to shove Samsung is far more likely to comply to “requests” from the South Korean government and military for things that Apple would not even consider doing.
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I know this personally from my time in the military. [It] could be as benign as having Samsung continue to provide parts, components, and support for smartphone models and software versions that are no longer commercially viable. … Maintaining a strong relationship with a supplier of critical parts, etc., is important. … At a national security level this is so much bigger than Apple-vs-Samsung.

Are we missing a cultural nuance? Almost certainly, thinks spxneo:

Despite being allies, a big reason why Americans do not trust or share sensitive information with South Korea [is that] whatever they share always ends up in North Korea and China. … Perhaps the biggest enablers of these security lapses isn’t just the shoddy cybersecurity management but the political environment.
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The opposition party will [always] take contrarian stance without merit. … In South Korea, disagreeing … is the default because they have a immature understanding of what democracy is.

Isn’t it weird iPhones can’t do this, though? Nope, thinks thegarbz, who explains how we got here:

Meanwhile, u/Monkzeng snarkily harks back to iMessage:

Company commander must’ve gotten made fun of for that green bubble.

And Finally:

Queen Bea(tles)

Previously in And Finally

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