
Obama: "I'm not allowed for security reasons to have an iPhone" - techinsidr
http://www.securityweek.com/obama-not-allowed-iphone-security-reasons
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abalone
The more mission-critical you get, the more you're concerned with reliability
over features.

The reason the president uses a Blackberry is probably similar to the reason
the latest Mars rover uses an ancient PowerPC. It's been battle tested long
enough and subject to enough scrutiny that you don't have to worry about it as
much.

~~~
cstejerean
As far as I remember from back in '08, Obama uses a blackberry because he
asked for it after winning the presidency. He used it heavily during his
campaign, and wanted to hang on to it after getting the presidency. They had
to go through some trouble to create an NSA certified version for Obama to
use.

~~~
mikelyons
DoD and Boeing have been on BB with special security for ages.

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MrZongle2
Kind of a passive statement, isn't it? It makes him sound like he's not in
charge of _anything_ , let alone sitting in the most powerful office in the
United States.

A far stronger, leaderlike statement would have been, "for security reasons, I
have chosen not to have an iPhone."

~~~
PhasmaFelis
Well, the actual meaning is "I could have an iPhone but I'm not stupid enough
to blow off the advice of a bunch of guys whose entire full-time job is
keeping me safe and secure." Which seems both clear and wise to me, but we
have this weird thing about expecting our leaders to be Lone Cowboy types who
don't take no guff from nobody.

~~~
MrZongle2
I just wish for some leaders to act like _leaders_.

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absconditus
What does Blackberry's supposed great security actually entail?

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salient
It's not just a "Blackberry". It's custom hardware with custom security.

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harshreality
_custom hardware_

Source?

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shitlord
Is that not common sense?

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voltagex_
I wonder what the difference between the DoD certifying iPhones for use in the
military and this situation is?

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shitlord
It's a pretty big one. DoD certified iPhones only for nonsensitive work (low-
level clearance stuff). In contrast, the sort of work POTUS does will most
certainly be sensitive. For things of that sort, the operating system AND the
hardware are extensively vetted.

~~~
voltagex_
Makes sense, thanks.

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lhgaghl
We have a predicament. Either iPhone is insecure or the US government security
is insecure, or both.

Pick one.

I predict the general consensus will be something moronic like "the government
needs a different type of security", so they're both secure.

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lhgaghl
I'm not allowed for security reasons to have an iPhone

but we can fix this

with HOPE

CHANGE

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J_Darnley
You mean the NSA might spy on him if he uses one? Not that they can't spy on
him if he uses a different one.

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D9u
If NSA can spy on a device, then others can also.

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killertypo
he's a figurehead and obscured from reality from the most part. Who cares what
device he's on, he doesn't make any difference either way. They could put a
log in his place and it would have the same effect on this country.

~~~
mullingitover
I think you may have your countries mixed up. The US President's role was a
compromise between different parties, some of which were demanding a _king_.
As such, he has far more power than, say, the President of Iran. An entire
branch of government reports to this one person, so calling him a 'figurehead'
is kind of a stretch. The man can literally have you kidnapped, taken to
another country, and tortured.

~~~
chris_mahan
Yet he is unable to get an iPhone.

If I were him I would have made a sign that says "You're fired" on his desk
and every time someone gives the wrong answer, I would just start to point
toward the sign and watch whether the people change their tune.

~~~
sliverstorm
Well, now I can list at least one reason chris_mahan would make a terrible
president.

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chris_mahan
What do you think the role of the President is, according to the Constitution?

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sliverstorm
I don't even need to go into the Constitution; figurehead or no, it sounds
like you'd make one colossal jerk as President. Which would, among other
things, mean you would be a terrible figurehead.

~~~
chris_mahan
Ok, you're right. Here, I won't run for the Presidency of the United States in
2016. Happy?

Let's be clear, though: if the President can't stand up to Congress and the
Supreme Court, the country will suffer. It's not called checks and balances
for nothing.

