Handheld introduces commercially available rugged, encrypted smartphone

Handheld USA is introducing a new rugged smartphone that it claims is the first commercially available smartphone with NSA Suite B encrypted software on the market and also exceeds the durability of any currently available smartphone.

"Nobody has a truly 'ultra rugged,' truly MIL SPEC smartphone on the market. We are the first ones there," Danny Adams, business development manager for Handheld USA told IHS Jane's.

The Nautiz X1 handheld meets both MIL STD 810 G for vibration and IP67 for being able to withstand sand, dust, and water.

The device uses commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and comes loaded with SAIFE (Secure Agile Interoperable Framework for the Enterprise) Sentry - an encryption software, which uses FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) 140-2, "a US computer security standard and an NSA Suite B cryptographic core to provide security for voice, instant messaging and data transmission", according to Handheld USA. SAIFE Sentry is developed by Cummings Engineering.

"It is truly unique to have a COTS software like this that is NSA Suite B; secret and below," Adams said.