Defense Secretary James Mattis is reportedly considering ban on cellphones from the Pentagon and already is reviewing its use and other electronic devices on military bases worldwide. CNBC reported that Mattis wants to prohibit all U.S military and civilian. The reviews follow heightened national security concerns about cell phones and other personnel from bringing their phones into the Defense Department headquarters, which is the largest office building housing approximately 23,000 military and civilian workers.
The Pentagon already is reviewing the use of smartphones and other electronic devices on military bases worldwide.
The Military Times newspaper reported Wednesday that Defense Secretary James Mattis considered a ban at the Pentagon even before the recent report about the Strava fitness app exposing locations around the globe where U.S. troops work out, including some secret military installations.
An outright ban on the use of personal smartphones at the Pentagon could be an inconvenience to some workers but experts say the devices not only can be used for tracking but are vulnerable to hackers who can tap into data and hear conversations.
Last year, there was a report Russia had launched a smartphone campaign that targeted at least 4,000 NATO troops in Eastern Europe. Russia reportedly wanted to hack into soldiers' personal smartphones to allow them to keep tabs on force strength.
Also, a report last year from the US Government Accountability Office criticized the DoD for gaps in its policies with regard to Internet-capable devices, including smart TVs, and the watchdog agency suggested cybersecurity efforts "can be strengthened."
