Bittium to Deliver Bittium Tough Mobile Smartphones and Related Back-end System for the Finnish Defence Forces

The contract signifies a strategic decision to reinforce the information security of the wireless communications of the Finnish Defence Forces. Bittium Tough Mobile smartphones and the related back-end system will be used in different and diverse functions within the Finnish Defence Forces.

In order for a phone and a related back-end system to achieve the Confidential level classification, there are specific information security requirements regarding the processing of classified information, secure wireless transfer of files, and other possible communication, which need to be met. Bittium Tough Mobile LTE smartphone and its back-end system designed for this classification level include features that have been hardened based on the Katakri 2015 requirements, such as, hardened operating system, hardened user identification, and data transfer. In addition, the solution includes Digia Salpa, a mobile communications encryption product that provides strong encryption of both calls and messages. Katakri 2015 is a tool used by the Finnish authorities for security and information security audits. Bittium Tough Mobile and its back-end system together with Digia Salpa are currently being tested by the National Cyber Security Centre Finland, operating under the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority, for getting the approval for the national classification level Confidential.

Bittium Tough Mobile designed for the classification level Confidential has a unique dual-boot functionality that makes Bittium Tough Mobile a device with two completely separate operating modes, Public and Confidential. This enables both professional use with high-level information security and personal use, e.g. using social media applications, with the same device. The user himself can switch between the two different modes.