The Latest in IT Security

Smartphones running Samsung Electronics security software have been cleared for communications marked \official\ by the British government, the company said, after they received a lower risk rating than competitors including Blackberry. The information security arm of Britains Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) identified three significant risks associated with Samsungs KNOX platform, according to guidance published on Wednesday. Blackberry 10.1, in Enterprise Mobility Management Regulated mode, had four significant risks, according to an earlier assessment, while Googles Android 4.3, the underlying operating system for KNOX, had 11. \With this approval we are committed to working more closely with government departments and agencies that need to maintain high levels of security and data confidentiality on their mobile devices,\ said Graham Long, a VP at Samsung UK and Ireland.