Dutch Government Makes a Revolutionary Move to Prevent Hacking Attacks

A revolutionary solution for the hacking attacks against government officials seems to be on its way, and it comes from the Netherlands. Dutch government officials will probably no longer use their smartphones when visiting other countries; they will rely on an old-fashioned "dumb" phone instead. The "dumb" phones line up is called Sectra Tiger, and it is based on a special communications technology that has been developed in cooperation with the Dutch and Swedish security authorities. The Sectra Tiger handset has only basic features which allow the user to make phone calls and send text messages whereby the transfer of data is conducted exclusively through registered and secured networks. It has no Internet connection and does not support any mobile applications.

The system allows the user to choose among a line of devices according to his or her specific needs with the available devices offering different classification levels for the data transfer on different security domains. At the same time, the Sectra Tiger system covers the golden standard for encrypted communications, allowing thus its users to make secure calls with users of any other vendors' devices which also comply with that standard.

So far, there are three models of Sectra Tiger phones that government officials can choose. Tiger/S 7401 has been developed to resist any cyber attacks, and it is approved to be used for communications and data transfer up to and including classification level SECRET in the Netherlands and the European Union. It looks like an old-school Nokia phone and can also be used for non-encrypted calls. The Tiger/R, on the other hand, uses a familiar user interface as it has been built upon the Samsung Android smartphone. In terms of security, it is a level above the Sectra Tiger/S 7401 as it is designed for the transfer of voice and text data of the RESTRICTED classification level. This model also enhances mobility and flexibility while preventing cyber espionage with its maximum level of security through hardware-based encryption. The third device in the line is the Sectra Tiger/S XS, and it is capable of data encryption up to and including EU and NATO SECRET security level.

According to the Dutch media, in the future, all government officials in the Netherlands will be required to leave their regular smartphones at home and use a Sectra Tiger device when they travel abroad, especially to countries like Russia where it is suggested that the risks for cyber attacks are higher. An online media also claims that the Dutch Prime minister, as well as the country's defense and home affairs ministers, are already using a Sectra Tiger phone.