UPDATED 12:00 EDT / SEPTEMBER 27 2022

APPS

Jamf debuts new features for managing Apple devices in the enterprise

Jamf Holding Corp. today debuted a set of new features that will enable enterprises to maintain and secure their employees’ Apple Inc. devices more easily.

Nasdaq-listed Jamf makes software that organizations use to manage the iPhones and Macs connected to their corporate networks. Last month, the company disclosed that it had more than 67,000 corporate and public sector customers as of the second quarter. Jamf closed the quarter with revenue of $115.6 million, a 34% increase from the same time a year earlier.

The first set of new features that Jamf debuted today will roll out for its Jamf Protect platform, which companies use to secure employees’ Apple devices. The platform can automatically detect and block malware on employee devices. Additionally, it provides tools that enable administrators to investigate the cause of a data breach and determine its scope.

Jamf Protect is gaining the ability to collect detailed telemetry data from the devices that it secures. Administrators can analyze the collected data to identify potential cybersecurity issues. Jamf Protect can optionally send the data to a company’s SIEM, or security information and event management, platform, a type of software tool that enterprises commonly use to detect breaches. 

It’s one of several software tools that Jamf offers to ease the management of corporate Apple devices. The company also offers Jamf Pro, which administrators use to ensure that the configuration settings of employee devices meet internal cybersecurity requirements. The tool simplifies a number of other management tasks as well.

The company plans to equip Jamf Pro with a new capability that will enable administrators to remotely log into a malfunctioning Mac computer. In many cases, logging into a computer can help administrators collect more detailed technical data about a malfunction than would otherwise be possible. The result is that technical issues can be resolved faster.

According to Jamf, the remote login capability will be compatible with both on-premises and cloud-based Macs. Cloud-based Macs are computers that a company rents from an infrastructure-as-a-service provider and accesses over the network. Amazon Web Services Inc., for example, has offered Mac instances through its cloud platform since 2020.

As part of the update announced today, Jamf is also adding support for Apple’s Declarative Device Management technology to its software portfolio. The technology enables a corporate Apple device to notify administrators automatically when its configuration settings change. According to Jamf, Declarative Device Management makes it possible to create software workflows that automatically detect and respond to erroneous configuration changes.

Many organizations use Jamf’s device management tools alongside third-party software for securing employee endpoints. To better support such organizations, the company is rolling out a set of new product integrations.

Starting next year, Jamf will enable customers to manage Mac devices using Microsoft Corp.’s Endpoint Manager tool. The tool provides features that ease the task of managing corporate devices’ configuration settings.

Also next year, Jamf will enable companies to bring Google’s BeyondCorp technology to employees’ iOS devices. BeyondCorp enables workers to access their company’s business applications via encrypted network connections. The technology removes the need to use the virtual private network, or VPN, software that has historically been needed for the task.

Jamf also introduced a number of other features as part of the update it announced today. According to the company, the features will simplify tasks such as setting up newly purchased Macs and updating applications installed on employee devices.

Image: Jamf

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