Col. Warren Parker, chairman of South Coast Cyber Security, praised the Trump campaign on Newsmax on Wednesday for taking cybersecurity seriously.
Parker, appearing on "National Report," discussed a report that the Trump campaign bought customized Android phones that comes pre-installed with its own unique operating system, stripping it of most functions aside from phone calling and text messaging,
The Trump campaign also purchased customized stripped-down laptops, which are inaccessible from the internet to outside attackers.
"This is a smart move to get these types of devices," Parker said.
The campaign recently bought the devices from California-based Green Hills Software, the developer of a proprietary, security-focused operating system already used by multiple U.S. agencies, the company's CEO told Reuters.
Parker said that during the rush of a presidential campaign, cybersecurity can suffer.
"Therefore, they become vulnerable to these kinds of attacks," Parker said.
The current plan to retool Trump campaign devices follows months of a targeted Iranian cyber espionage campaign, which stole internal communications and documents. The decision to upgrade security measures was also driven by physical threats to Trump, fearing that hackers or spies could surveil staff and use that information to target individuals, another person familiar with the matter said.
The devices the Trump campaign will be using are often used by the military and intelligence agencies, Parker said.
It's certainly valuable ... to a presidential candidate who would want to have secure communications," Parker said.
Information from Reuters was used in this report
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
- Find Newsmax channel in your home via cable and satellite systems – More Info Here
- Watch Newsmax+ on your home TV app or smartphone and watch it anywhere! Try it for FREE – See More Here: NewsmaxPlus.com
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.