iPhones and Galaxy Tabs banned from Saudi security institutions

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior recently announced that the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy Tab will no longer be allowed inside their security institutions.

The decision has reportedly already gone into effect, and is said to be a precaution they are taking against potential hacking attacks. According to the Ministry, the gadgets can easily fall prey to hackers, and they don’t want to take any risks.

Al Arabiya reports that Saudi Arabia is not the first country to put a similar ban into action, claiming that US and European security institutions have enforced similar bans.

There is, however, little evidence to support that statement, and as iPhone Islam points out, the US is actually using the technology in its military. It is also not clear why the Saudi Ministry think that these two gadgets in particular are more susceptible to an attack than any other smartphone or tablet.

This is not the first run-in Middle Eastern authorities have had with modern technology. The BlackBerry has been banned at one time or another in the UAE, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

Whatever the real reason is behind the ban, we can at least be grateful that it does not extend beyond Saudi Arabia’s security institutions.